Mammoth on the Barbie?

An Australian startup, Vow, unveiled a lab-grown meatball made using genetic information from the long-extinct mammoth at an Amsterdam science museum on Tuesday. The company aimed to use this novel approach to cultivated meat to spark discussions about the future of food. The meatball was made by inserting genetic data from the African elephant, the mammoth's closest living relative, into a sheep cell.

While the project was a one-off and the meatball was not intended for commercial production, it showcased the potential of cultivated meat to be more environmentally friendly and ethical than traditional meat. Vow hopes to launch its first product, a cultivated Japanese quail meat, in Singapore later this year.

While the technology could greatly reduce the environmental impact of global meat production, it has only been approved for consumption in Singapore so far. Nonetheless, over 100 companies worldwide are developing cultured meat products, which could revolutionize the meat industry.