“Farming the meat for beef burgers takes a hefty toll on the environment around the world. But would you have been happy with the spongy substitute some vegetarians enjoy? What if there was another way of recreating the sensory extravaganza of a burger?” Meatless meat will be a big story next year. And AI could play an important role in creating a more meat-free world.

+ James Hamblin: Here comes the meat tax.