Here at Sifted we’re trading in the 12 days of Christmas for a 12-question pop quiz that’s sure to bring the startup spark to your holiday dinners.

For every question you’ll find a link to a suggested story for answers.

The articles are all among our finest reads of 2019, so think of it as Sifted’s Christmas selection box and dig in.

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1. True or false: there’s facial recognition for cows.

Hint: would farmers pay for something like that? Read our animal tech story to find out.

2. Who is the artist behind this mural?

Hint: he or she is named after a famous scientist. You’ll find the answer in this story.

3. What happens if robots drink beer?

Hint: you can give robots whisky too. Answer here.

4. What secret ingredient gives vegetarian burgers the “bleeding” meat effect?

Hint: it’s red but it’s not ketchup. Find out in our story about the plant-based food startups in Europe serving up vegan meat.

5. True or false: where Gen Z goes, the money follows.

Hint: you really should care what seven to 22 year-olds think. Here’s why.

6. Diamonds are:

a) a girl’s best friend

b) a replacement for GPS navigation

c) impossible to grow in a lab

d) all of the above

Hint: diamonds are moving beyond just jewellery. Here’s how.

7. In 2020 you should work:

a) more

b) less

Hint: French investor Jean de La Rochebrochard wrote a book debating it. Here’s what he thinks.

8. What is the inventor of Viagra building now?

Hint: the approach behind discovering Viagra is being replicated elsewhere. Read about how Dr David Brown is doing that.

9. We’ll have autonomous flying taxis for everyone in:

a) 2020

b) 2031

c) 2045

d) never

Hint: test flights have already happened. Here’s when Volocopter thinks it can get you on board.

10. True or false: cannabis tampons are a thing.

Hint: no one is trying to get stoned. So what exactly is going on at Europe’s CBD startups?

11. How far can you go in a solar electric car?

Hint: Germany’s Sono Motors is crowdfunding money to build one. Read about how the prototype works.

12. Will you be eating insects next Christmas?

There’s no right answer to this one. It’s really up to you, so here’s a roundup of the companies producing edible bugs in case you’re considering revamping the menu.