![Developer Of First Cultivated Beef Burger Mark Post Developer Of First Cultivated Beef Burger Mark Post](https://api.time.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/gettyimages-175678293.jpg?quality=85&w=2400)
Cattle farmers are wringing their hands over a staggering drop in the price of lab-grown beef, with cost estimates plummeting from more than a quarter million dollars a patty to as little as $12.
Dutch professor Mark Post, who developed the world’s first “frankenburger” in 2012, will discuss the latest breakthroughs in lab-grown beef to a gathering of cattle farmers in Darwin (yes, Darwin) Australia, according to Australian broadcaster ABC News. The price drop, first spotted by Fast Company, could bring artificial beef within the same cost bracket of natural beef within one year, Post estimates.
However, the Maastricht University professor also estimated that the patty was still 20 to 30 years away from being served up on a mass scale. And early taste tests suggests it’s still a distant second to the natural beef patty. Still, that hasn’t stopped Google co-founder Sergey Brin from becoming an early investor in the alternative meat.
The 17 Most Influential Burgers of All Time
![](https://api.time.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/21-burger.jpg?quality=75&w=2400)
![](https://api.time.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/ramen-burger.jpg?quality=75&w=2400)
![Russia's President Medvedev and U.S. President Obama have burgers for lunch at Ray's Hell Burger restaurant in Arlington Russia's President Medvedev and U.S. President Obama have burgers for lunch at Ray's Hell Burger restaurant in Arlington](https://api.time.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/rays-hell-burger-obaba.jpg?quality=75&w=2400)
![BURGER KING WHOPPER BURGER KING WHOPPER](https://api.time.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/burger-king-whopper.jpg?quality=75&w=2400)
![Heart Attack Grill owner Jon poses with a quadruple bypass cheese burger in Chandler, Arizona Heart Attack Grill owner Jon poses with a quadruple bypass cheese burger in Chandler, Arizona](https://api.time.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/quadruple-bipass-burger.jpg?quality=75&w=2400)
![Developer Of First Cultivated Beef Burger Mark Post Developer Of First Cultivated Beef Burger Mark Post](https://api.time.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/lab-grown-burger.jpg?quality=75&w=2400)
![](https://api.time.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/mcdonalds-burger.jpg?quality=75&w=2400)
![ASAP MONEY&GADGETS DRIVE IN The ordering lingo for this Atlanta staple, which debuted in 1928, is almost as delicious as the burger itself: you get it “all the way” in lieu of “with onions,” and “walk a steak” replaces “to-go.” These branding gimmicks were later replicated by burger chains like In-N-Out, whose secret menu (see: “animal style” and "protein style") has helped lure millions of customers.](https://api.time.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/varsity-burger.jpg?quality=75&w=2400)
![Shake Shack Comes to Russia Two Decades After McDonald's Debut Shake Shack Comes to Russia Two Decades After McDonald's Debut](https://api.time.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/shack-burger.jpg?quality=75&w=2400)
![Designer Burger Demand in Los Angeles Grabs Hold in New York Designer Burger Demand in Los Angeles Grabs Hold in New York](https://api.time.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/umami-burger.jpg?quality=75&w=2400)
![Image converted using ifftoany Image converted using ifftoany](https://api.time.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/garden-burger.jpg?quality=75&w=2400)
![In October, Chicago heavy-metal-themed bar Kuma's Corner launched one of the most outrageous burgers to date: the Ghost Burger—it's named after Swedish metal band Ghost B.C.—was topped with an unconsecrated Communion wafer. The dish sold well, but angered Catholics (and garnered national headlines), prompting the owners to donate $1,500 to Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Chicago.](https://api.time.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/ghost-burger.jpg?quality=75&w=2400)
![Japan - Fast Food - Mos Food Services - Hamburger Chain Japan - Fast Food - Mos Food Services - Hamburger Chain](https://api.time.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/mos-burger.jpg?quality=75&w=2400)
![Simpsons In October, Chicago heavy-metal-themed bar Kuma's Corner launched one of the most outrageous burgers to date: the Ghost Burger—it's named after Swedish metal band Ghost B.C.—was topped with an unconsecrated Communion wafer. The dish sold well, but angered Catholics (and garnered national headlines), prompting the owners to donate $1,500 to Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Chicago.](https://api.time.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/krusty-burger.jpg?quality=75&w=2400)
![Minneapolis News - April 23, 1997 Although this twist on the cheeseburger—in which the cheese is melted inside the patty—was reportedly invented in the 1920s, when chefs were still experimenting with the burger, it gained national attention in 2008, thanks to a feud between two Minneapolis bars that both claim to have "invented" it. Since then, there have been numerous imitators, proving that a little innovation and a dash of hype is all it takes to reinvigorate enthusiasm for a classic. Correction: The original version of this story misstated the date of invention of the Jucy Lucy. It was put on the menu at Matt's in 1954.](https://api.time.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/jucy-lucy-burger.jpg?quality=75&w=2400)
![In-N-Out Burger As The Company Is Valued At Near $2 Billion In-N-Out Burger As The Company Is Valued At Near $2 Billion](https://api.time.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/in-n-out-burger.jpg?quality=75&w=2400)
![White Castle Hamburgers White Castle Hamburgers](https://api.time.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/white-castle-burger.jpg?quality=75&w=2400)
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