Here’s a food-related invention that is even weirder than the notorious Beanzawave: The Cocoon, a concept cooker that grows meat and fish from heated animal cells in a process that looks disturbingly similar to magic animal growing capsules.

Designed by Richard Hederstierna of the Lund Institute of Technology, Cocoon took first place today in the Electrolux Design Lab Competition. Hederstierna’s device uses RFID signals to discern the type of fish or meat inserted into the cooker. The meat’s muscle cells, nutrients, and oxygen are heated for a preset time, and voila, delicious meat is born, sans the whole killing animals part.

In addition to preventing animal slaughter, the cooker is designed to address food shortages around the world. It’s a controversial idea, to say the least, but it could also be a quick and easy way to get nutrients from meat products to populations that often have unhealthy diets. Electrolux hasn’t committed to researching whether the device is feasible, but Hederstierna will receive a $7,347 prize as well as a six month paid internship at an Electrolux global design center. What do you think–would you eat meat from the Cocoon?

[Via UK Daily Mail]