Technology

Reported

The AI Bias That’s Often Overlooked: Speciesism

New research proves that large datasets used to train AI models are particularly biased against farm animals.

Science•6 min read

Explainer

Are Factory Farmed Chickens Just GMOs, Actually?

The meat industry breeds chickens to grow as fast as possible. Here’s how they do it.

Science•7 min read

Reported

Cultivated Pet Food Meat Is Coming Sooner Than You Think

How Biocraft is attempting to improve pet food by making it allergen-free and healthier for animals — not to mention, far more ethical.

Science•8 min read

Explainer

Why Do Some Critics Still Call It Lab-Grown Meat?

More than 150 companies are growing meat from fish or animal cells. Yet some critics still deride cultivated proteins as "lab-grown meat." Why?

Science•12 min read

Explainer

How Do Pesticides Work?

The U.S. uses around 1 billion pounds of conventional pesticides each year to control weeds, insects and other crop-damaging invaders. Pesticides are crucial for protecting crops but can also be…

Science•9 min read

Reported

Pets in the Metaverse: Can Technology Put an End to Overflowing Animal Shelters?

At least 10 percent of households no longer have their pandemic pets. In the future, digital pets could be an alternative.

Science•5 min read

Analysis

Cultivated Meat Gains Ground in Hyper-Competitive Industry

Cultivated meat is attracting a lot of new attention. But experts question whether the new technology will truly make our food systems more sustainable.

Science•3 min read

Reported

Meet the Women Shaping the Future of Food Tech

Women-led food tech startups are changing the fabric of the food tech industry, which they say has been dominated by "bro culture" for too long.

Science•6 min read

Reported

Technology Is Changing Everything—Including the Way We Eat

New systems are changing what we eat, how it is made, and who makes it. These changes could expand access to high-quality food while reducing environmental impacts.

Science•1 min read

Explainer

25 New Startups Chasing the Hottest Trends in Food Tech

Food tech startups reportedly received more than $39 billion in new funding in 2021. Food delivery companies and online grocers led the way.

Science•10 min read

Reported

Robots Could Replace Captive Reindeer This Holiday Season

This holiday season, thousands of captive reindeer will be put on display and used as props in Christmas parades around the world. Advocates say that needs to change.

Science•6 min read

Perspective

Cultivated Meat Could Radically Transform Animal Agriculture: Interview With Investor and Author Jim Mellon

Jim Mellon's new book, Moo's Law, helps readers understand the quickly evolving investment landscape in cultivated and plant-based proteins.

Science•1 min read

Reported

Slaughter-Free Food: Cell-Based Meat Companies Join Forces

The food industry will need every tool in the toolkit at its disposal to feed 10 billion people by 2050. Animal farming is not one of them, but these slaughter-free…

Science•5 min read

Perspective

Book Review: Hungry for Disruption by Shen Ming Lee

With remote sensors that optimize water use and crop genetics that selects for heartier grains, the global agricultural industry is using technology to meet the demands of a growing population.

Science•5 min read

Reported

This Animal-Free Egg Company Just Secured Global Distribution

Clara Foods plans to bring the world's first vegan egg white to market in the next year, addressing the massive unmet consumer demand for animal-free products.

Science•5 min read

Reported

The Next Generation of Alternative Proteins

Motif just received $90 million in Series A funding from the likes of Viking Global Investors, Breakthrough Energy Ventures— which includes Jeff Bezos, Bill Gates, and Richard Branson—agricultural goods titan…

Science•5 min read

Reported

The Impossible Burger 2.0 and the Next Generation of Food Tech

This year’s big ask from alternative meat maker Impossible Foods? Cheat on beef. On Monday, the new Impossible Burger 2.0 made its debut at CES 2019.

Science•6 min read

Perspective

Is Using Science to Help Animals Adapt to Life on Factory Farms Ever the Solution?

We’re pushing farmed animals to their limits of productivity, breeding chickens to grow fatter, cows to produce more milk, beef cattle to grow more muscle; all to the detriment of…

Science•18 min read

Reported

JUST Cell-Based Meat Is Ready for Limited Release. What’s Next?

The plant- and cell-based meat market will be worth $10 billion when it gets to 13% of the market, a market share equivalent to that of the plant-based milk market…

Science•5 min read

Reported

Beyond Meat Files for the Plant-Based Food Industry’s First IPO

Current investors in Beyond Meat include Bill Gates, Leonardo DiCaprio, Jack and Suzy Welch, Kleiner Perkins, and Tyson Foods.

Science•5 min read

Explainer

Plant-Based Protein Can Help End Animal Agriculture

The best reason to choose plant-based protein is that it’s a cruelty-free source of something you need.

Science•15 min read

Perspective

Robots Won’t Fix Animal Agriculture’s Welfare Problem

Cargill's latest investments in robotics is a three-wheeled corralling robot that cost $40,000, which the company says reduces the stress of cattle. The company, very strangely, calls the robot an…

Science•5 min read

Reported

Cell-Based Meat Faces One of its Biggest Challenges Yet

One of the big challenges for cell-based meat is to match the nutritional value of real meat. The simple solution is to add supplements to replace the nutrients missing from…

Science•2 min read

Reported

Vegan Meat Company Beyond Meat Nears IPO

Beyond Meat According to a source close to the company, Beyond Meat is almost ready for their IPO. This could represent the first public stock offering from one of many…

Science•1 min read

Reported

The Challenges and Promise of Clean Meat

The Good Food Conference in Berkeley, organized by the industry powerhouse Good Food Institute, gathered hundreds of entrepreneurs, scientists, investors, media and other industry people into the packed two-day event.

Science•2 min read

Reported

The Impossible Burger Is Possible, Says FDA

The FDA has no questions that the Impossible Burger is safe to eat. The meatless burger company responded to environmentalist groups sceptical of the meat’s genetically engineered additives with a…

Science•1 min read