food science
Got an Invasive Army of Crayfish Clones? Try Eating Them
The marbled crayfish is a threat to the native species, but the “Berlin lobster” may also offer a sustainable food source and help stop the spread of parasites.
Can Synthetic Palm Oil Help Save the World’s Tropical Forests?
Harvesting this vegetable oil is a huge driver of deforestation. Numerous startups are taking up the daunting task of engineering it instead.
Growing Peppers on the ISS Is Just the Start of Space Farming
The chile peppers thrived in a controlled microgravity environment. But to develop agriculture away from Earth, NASA will have to think outside the box.
Upside Foods Sues an Ex-Employee Over Secret Lab-Grown Meat Tech
A three-person team within the startup was tasked with developing top-secret tech. When a cofounder was fired, things started to fall apart.
Welcome to the (Synthetic) Meatspace
Reactor-grown nuggets, human-edited genetic code, and new mRNA technologies could change our relationship to life itself.
Curb Your Food Tech Enthusiasm
Innovation might help us create a low-carbon food system, but that's not the same thing as a sustainable or ethical one.
The Next Big Thing for RNA? Fixing Moldy Food
Covid vaccines alerted to the world to RNA's potential. Now the technology is being used as an alternative to pesticides.
Whitewashing ‘Blue Food’ Won’t Make the World More Green
Recent public messaging encouraging people to eat more seafood conveniently omits information about the environmental impact of fishing.
A 3D-Printed Chicken Breast Was Cooked With Frickin’ Lasers
Engineers at Columbia University developed a system that can simultaneously produce and heat food with precision.
Watch Out, Beyond Burgers—the Fungi Renaissance Is Here
While the popular plant-based meats grab all the headlines, a much more humble foodstuff is poised to lead the next wave of alternative proteins.
The Weird, Sustainable Booze of the Future Tastes … Good?
Small distilleries like Empirical Spirits are working on uncategorizable drinks made of stuff like plum pits, for the resilient quaff of tomorrow.
Which Crops Can Survive Drought? Nanosensors May Offer Clues
The technique can be used to track how water flows through plants—which could be key to breeding more resilient crops in an increasingly hot, dry climate.
Inside Silicon Valley’s Mayo Marketing Madness
The war on eggs started back in the ’70s, not with the company formerly known as Hampton Creek but with a little café-grocery store in Los Angeles.
Grilling Over Gas Is Better Than Grilling Over Charcoal
A gas grill rules. But the real debate should be whether charcoal is necessary at all.
The Cicadas Are Coming. Let’s Eat Them!
Why not embrace Brood X as the free-range, sustainable source of protein that it truly is?
I Avoided Fake Meat for Years. That Was a Big Mistake
Our food writer had been steering clear of Impossible, Beyond, and other plant-based meat replacements—until he finally cooked with some.
This Countertop Composter Turns Table Scraps Into Plant Food
If your city doesn’t have a food-waste recycling program, consider Vitamix’s gadget for composting your leftovers.
Want Carbon-Neutral Cows? Algae Isn’t the Answer
Recent headlines suggest that feeding seaweed to cattle could help reduce the methane in their burps. But the claims don’t hold up under scrutiny.
How to Get More Plant-Based Meat Onto Plates in 2021
The consequences of industrial livestock farming are severe. It's time for investors and policymakers to put resources toward the alternatives.
Will Rising Temperatures Make Superweeds Even Stronger?
Widely used herbicides are struggling to kill some weeds. Some experts think heat could be part of the problem.
How Restaurants Retooled for Takeout—and Survival
Chefs tinkered with food chemistry, while dining apps reengineered logistics. Those changes will endure even after the pandemic is over.
Your Food Isn’t ‘Natural’ and It Never Will Be
In all eras, we’ve tried—and mostly failed—to police the boundary between acceptable and unacceptable.
Oxo's Newest Coffee Maker Brews 8 Great Cups—or 1 Superb Mug
A smartly designed full-size brewer with the added ability to make an excellent single cup of coffee.
Foodies and Factory Farmers Have Formed an Unholy Alliance
Their swipes at fake-meat products—Impossible Burgers, Beyond Meat, and all the rest—are pretty much the same.