According to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), global demand for meat has increased over 500 percent in the past 50 years. Two things explain this: the Earth's population is rising rapidly, and people with higher incomes tend to consume more meat.

If meat production rises to match demand, the consequences could be catastrophic for the planet. Thirty percent of Earth's entire land surface - a massive 70 percent of all land available for agricultural use - is used for raising livestock.

Fortunately, food scientists have been anticipating this need for change. They are working on some interesting alternatives to current methods of meat production. A group of Dutch scientists are engineering meats that can be grown in laboratories. This involves using cells taken from cows to grow "muscle" that can be mixed with other things to make beef. They say that this process could reduce the amount of energy and land needed to raise cattle by about 40 percent. Twenty other scientists from the United States and China are working to create "meaty" flavors from mushrooms, which could be used to flavor foods. They feel people can detect chemical flavors, and that natural flavors are better for the body.

For now, lab-grown meat is not a threat to traditional farming. Although scientists say that their beef could be ready for testing (and eating) soon, large-scale manufacturing won't be possible for another ten years. It's far too exorbitant to develop in large quantities - the Dutch team will spend over $200,000 making enough meat for one burger - and not everyone will be keen on the idea of eating lab-grown meat. While the general public isn't quite ready to accept "fake" meat, the day will come when we may not have a choice.