Abstract
This contribution presents a selection of recent results on meson production from the NA61/SHINE experiment. The results include spectra of ø mesons in p + p collisions at 40, 80 and 158 GeV/c beam momenta, as well as π±, K±, ρ0, ω and K*0 mesons in π− + C collisions at 158 GeV/c and 350 GeV/c. They are compared with predictions of several models. A spectacular failure of considered models is observed for ø, ρ0 and K*0 production. Also a very peculiar system size dependence of the longitudinal evolution of ø production, contrasting with all other measured hadrons, is shown. Finally, preliminary results on spectator-induced electromagnetic effects in π± production in Ar + Sc at 150A GeV/c are presented, bringing information on space-time evolution of the hot and dense matter created in the collision.