> Though many of the details are proprietary, the basic formula to produce cultivated meat is clear. They began by extracting cells from animals using a needle biopsy. Food scientists no longer need to go back to the animal to extract cells every time, since there are lots of cells stored in a cell bank. The companies can select the cells they want to grow. Then, inside the stainless steel tanks, the cells are fed a mix of the same nutrients an animal would eat, a combination of fats, sugar, amino acids and vitamins, which allows the cells to proliferate and grow into meat.

I do wonder how vegans will feel about this needle biopsy. And while they say there are lots of cells stored in the "cell bank," it does seem like it will need to be replenished with future needle biopsies or there will be genetic drift if they recycle cells from the vat (which might be fine or even desired). Does this mean we can eat whale and, I dunno, bald eagle?

Edit: or, excellent point raised in a dead comment... human? Sounds ick to me too, but bear with me: is the height of ethical meat consumption to have personal meat-vats grown from your own donor cells?