Snapchat users can rest easy with the knowledge that the erratic behavior they may have

Scientists in Israel have created a model of a human embryo from stem cells, without using sperm, eggs or a womb. A team at Israel's Weizmann Institute of Science made the model, which resembles an embryo at day 14, when it acquires internal structures but before it lays down the foundations for body organs, and the work was published in the journal Nature. But the scientists involved said it would take a long time yet to create an embryo from scratch. Team leader Jacob Hanna said the team took stem cells derived from adult human skin cells, as well as others cultured in the lab, then reverted the cells to an early state.They then manipulated them to make a model of an embryo, rather than an actual or synthetic one. "The question is, when does an embryo model become considered an embryo? When that happens, we know the regulations. At the moment we are really, really far off from that point," Hanna said. However, they said the work could open the door to new ways to test the effect of drugs on pregnancies, better understand miscarriages and genetic diseases, and maybe grow transplant tissues and organs. "They are not identical. There are differences from human embryos, but still, this is the first time, if you open an atlas or a textbook, you can say - yeah I can really see the similarity between them," said Hanna. "In about 1 percent of the aggregates we can see that the cells start differentiating correctly, migrating and sorting themselves into the correct structure, and the farthest we could get is day 14 in human embryo development," he said. Their next goal, Hanna said, is to advance to day 21 and also reach a threshold of a 50 per cent success rate. Magdalena Żernicka-Goetz, a professor of development and stem cells at the University of Cambridge, said the study joins six other similar human embryo-like models published from teams around the world this year, including from her lab. "None of these models fully recapitulate natural human development but each adds to ways in which many aspects of human development can now be studied experimentally," she said. Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.

Some space events happen too slowly to see, but a new time-lapse video provides a

Turns out you can still eat meat without the carbon footprint – just make it plant-based. That’s the ethos behind Henry Firth and Ian Theasby’s new book. The duo behind the best-selling BOSH! series have released (dun, dun, dun...) Meat, which shows you how to cook delicious dishes that feel and taste like meat, but are in fact 100 per cent plant-based. After “giving veganism a whirl” for a month in 2015 (“before it was cool,” they add) – partly prompted by a desire to improve their health and partly after watching the eye-opening environmental documentary Cowspiracy – the pair made the switch permanent and launched BOSH. The rest, they say, is history – and it’s certainly a successful one. But going cold turkey (ahem) wasn’t all smooth sailing. “Initially, the main thing we missed was choice,” Theasby tells The Independent. Back in 2015, when he walked into a restaurant or a supermarket, there simply wasn’t much on offer. “In Pret, you’d get a hummus wrap if you were lucky. If you went to Tesco, you might get a really dry, crumbly falafel sandwich and that was it,” he says. But, fast forward eight years, “you walk into a supermarket today and it’s not what can I eat, but what shall I eat? Because there’s so much choice.” Theasby and Firth are the first to admit that even enduring vegans get cravings sometimes. In their new book, they say: that’s okay! Plants can be meat too. “If you think about a burger, it can made from an animal or it can be made from a plant. We accept that now,” says Firth. It might be strange to hear a vegan say that “we should celebrate meat” but “it’s got wonderful flavours, wonderful textures, but you can make it from plants, either from using vegetables or using some of those products that are now everywhere in the supermarket, which are pretty damn good.” The keyword is texture, says Theasby. “One thing that people lack when they first start eating plant-based is texture, so what we wanted to do was produce a book that was packed full of bite and chew so your mouth doesn’t miss anything when you first go plant-based. Some of the recipes in there you would not be able to guess are plant-based.” The recipes in Meat use a combination of meat alternative products and straight-up plants to achieve this. For example, there’s a section at the start that details how difficult it was to recreate bacon. Using a mix of chickepas and seitan (also known as vital wheat gluten), with flavourings like miso and colourings like beetroot, they create a kind of red and white dough that is rolled out, kneaded and cut into the shape of a piece of bacon. “It looks like bacon, it has the same mouthfeel as bacon, it’s got the same flavour profile as bacon,” says Theasby. “It’s a magic thing.” Don’t let that put you off, says Firth. “People do get a bit freaked out and they’re scared of ultra-processed stuff and of what’s in it. It’s good to read the label but it’s also good to not be scared by new things just because they’re new.” If you aren’t freaked out, however, we’ve got three sneakpeak recipes from the new book to put your mind at ease. Crispy Korean-style ‘chicken’ wings “These wings are SO crispy and delicious! Seriously, we love them. You can eat them as they come or you could push the boat out and serve them in a sandwich with a little plant-based mayo, kimchi and lettuce with a side of fries. They’d also go well with a side of rice and a little salad. Whichever way you choose, we’re pretty sure you’ll love them as much as we do.” Serves: 4-6 as a side Ingredients: For the sticky marinade: 4 garlic cloves 2.5cm piece of fresh ginger 150g gochujang 120ml toasted sesame oil 2 tbsp rice vinegar 2 tbsp light soy sauce 4 tbsp light brown sugar ¼ tsp ground white pepper For the ‘chicken’: 2 x 280g blocks extra-firm tofu 6 tbsp cornflour ½ tsp sea salt ¼ tsp ground white pepper Vegetable oil, for shallow frying For the garnish: 1 fresh chilli or a pinch of dried chilli flakes 1 spring onion A few toasted sesame seeds, for sprinkling Equipment: Fine grater or microplane Blender (optional) Frying pan Saucepan Method: Line a plate or large bowl with kitchen paper Make the marinade: Peel the garlic and ginger and grate with a tine grater or microplane. Combine with the rest of the ingredients and either blitz in a blender or combine in a bowl and stir into a nice smooth paste Prepare the chicken: Press the tofu to remove excess liquid. Tear the tofu into rough chunks about 3 x 2cm. Add the tofu to a mixing bowl along with half the marinade and fold to coat. Sprinkle the cornflour, salt and pepper into the bowl and fold to coat and combine, making sure the tofu is really well covered. Cook the chicken: Pour 1cm of oil into a frying pan and heat over a medium-high heat until the oil bubbles around the end of a wooden spoon that’s held in the oil. Carefully lower the tofu chunks into the hot oil and cook for 2-3 minutes until golden and crispy, turning them regularly to ensure a really even cook. Remove carefully and drain on a plate lined with kitchen paper. Finish the dish: Put the remaining marinade into a saucepan, bring to a simmer and cook until thick and shiny. Add the cooked tofu to the sauce and quickly fold it through to ensure a good coverage. Spoon the tofu into a serving bowl. Trim and thinly slice the spring onion for the garnish and finely chop the chilli (if using fresh chilli). Garnish the tofu with the chilli or chilli flakes, spring onion and toasted sesame seeds and serve immediately with some cold beers! Lebanese-style ‘lamb’ flatbreads with minty yoghurt “Making flatbread may feel like a labour of love but, really, it involves just a handful of cupboard ingredients and a few kneads to create delicious flatbreads that are impossibly soft on the inside with a glorious golden crust on the outside. You could serve them with anything, but we’ve stacked them high with a crumbled tempeh lamb spiced with mint, lemon and chilli, and drizzled them with a zesty mint yoghurt. “This recipe is good for 2, so if you need to serve 4 simply double everything. Deeeeelicious!” Serves: 2 Ingredients: For the flatbreads: 140g strong white bread flour, plus extra for dusting 1 tsp fast-action dried yeast 1 tsp caster sugar 1 tsp baking powder 1 tsp dried mixed herbs 1 tsp table salt 80ml lukewarm water 1 tbsp olive oil Plant-based butter, softened, for brushing For the ‘lamb’ topping: 300g tempeh 1 onion 2 garlic cloves splash of olive oil 1 tsp ground cumin ½ tsp ground coriander ½ tsp ground nutmeg 1 tsp smoked paprika 1 tsp chilli powder 2 tbsp mint jelly 1 lemon Sea salt For the mint yoghurt: A few fresh mint leaves 150g plain plant-based yoghurt 1 tbsp mint jelly 1 lemon Sea salt To serve: Handful of fresh mint leaves Handful of pomegranate seeds 1 tbsp toasted pine nuts Pinch of dried chilli flakes Black pepper Equipment: Large saucepan 2 large flat pans (or 1, and cook the flatbreads in batches) Pastry brush Method: Make the flatbread dough: In a large bowl, mix together the dry ingredients (the flour, yeast, sugar, baking powder, mixed herbs and salt) until there are no lumps. Pour in the lukewarm water and olive oil and bring the mixture together to form a dough ball (ensuring you incorporate every part of the mixture). Place the dough ball on a lightly floured surface and knead for 6-10 minutes until the ball bounces back when pressed. Place the ball back in the bowl, cover and leave somewhere warm for at least 30 minutes Make the lamb topping: Crumble the tempeh into small pieces using your hands. Peel and dice the onion and garlic. Place a large saucepan over a medium heat and add the olive oil. Add the diced onion, garlic and a pinch of salt. Mix well and cook for 5-10 minutes until the onion begins to soften. At this point, add the spices and crumbled tempeh with a dash of water. Mix well and cook for 5 minutes, then stir through the mint jelly. Halve the lemon and squeeze in some lemon juice, catching any pips in your free hand. Reduce the heat to low and cook for 10 minutes Make the mint yoghurt: Thinly slice the mint leaves. Put the yoghurt in a small bowl and mix through the mint jelly, sliced mint leaves and a pinch of salt. Halve the lemon and squeeze in some juice, catching any pips in your free hand. Spoon into a small serving bowl Cook the flatbread: Place 2 large flat pans over a medium heat (over separate flames). Take the flatbread mixture from the bowl and halve it. Place each piece on a lightly floured work surface and push down using your hands or a rolling pin to create a round, flatbread shape – it should be quite thin as it will become thicker in the pan. Once the pans are hot, add the flatbreads and cook for 2-3 minutes on each side until golden all over and cooked through. If you don’t have two flat pans, cook the flatbreads in one flat pan, one at a time. Assemble the flatbreads: Place the flatbreads on 2 serving plates and brush with some butter. Spoon the lamb mixture on top of the flatbreads then drizzle over some mint yoghurt. Time to serve: Chop some mint leaves and sprinkle them over the top of the flatbreads, along with a pinch of black pepper, the pomegranate seeds, pine nuts and chilli flakes (or your favourite toppings) Orzo ‘meat’-balls “Orzo – a type of pasta – is an ingredient we don’t use very often but when we do use it, we’re always left wondering why we don’t use it more often because it’s lovely. On the subject of lovely, the inspiration for this magnificent recipe came from the queen of cooking herself, Nigella Lawson.” Serves: 4 Ingredients: For the meatballs: 20g flat-leaf parsley (including the stalks) 3 garlic cloves 2 tbsp chia seeds 600g plant-based mince 3 tbsp panko breadcrumbs 4 tbsp nooch (nutritional yeast) or grated plantbased parmesan 2 tsp sea salt 2 tsp ground black pepper For the sauce: 1 small onion 20ml olive oil 1 tsp sea salt flakes 250ml plant-based white wine 2 x 400g tins chopped tomatoes 3 tbsp tomato puree 1 tsp paprika ½ tsp dried chilli flakes 1 tbsp red wine vinegar 1 tbsp light brown sugar 2 tbsp plant-based butter 285ml cold water 250g orzo pasta To serve: Handful of fresh parsley Sprinkle of nooch (nutritional yeast) or plant-based parmesan Small bag of fresh rocket Squeeze of lemon juice Equipment: Large heavy-based saucepan with lid Make the meatball mixture Finely chop the parsley and set aside Peel and finely chop the garlic Soak the chi a seeds in a bowl with 4 tablespoons of cold water for about 10 minutes until it forms a gel Ingredients: Place all the ingredients for the meatballs into a large bowl and mix together with your hands, being sure not to overmix, as it will make the meatballs dense-textured and heavy. Make the meatballs: Pinch out pieces of the mix and form them into walnutsize balls, putting them on a clean plate as you go. You should get about 20 meatballs. Make the sauce: Peel and finely dice the onion. Heat the oil in a heavybased saucepan that’s large enough to take the meatballs and pasta. Add the chopped onion with the salt and cook over a medium heat, stirring every now and again, for about 10 minutes until softened. Add the wine and simmer for a further 10 minutes. Add the tomatoes, tomato puree, paprika, chilli flakes, vinegar, brown sugar and butter. Fill both the empty tins with the water, give them a good swill, pour into the pan, bring the sauce to a simmer, put the lid on and cook for 30-35 minutes. Cook the meatballs: Drop the meatballs gently into the simmering sauce. Bring back to the boil, turn the heat down again to a simmer, put the lid back on and simmer the meatballs for 15 minutes. Add the pasta: Tip in the orzo, stir gently and increase the heat to bring the mixture back to a bubble. Simmer for 15 minutes, or until the pasta is cooked. You will have to stir it occasionally throughout this time to make sure the orzo isn’t sticking to the bottom of the pan. Time to serve: Chop the parsley (to serve). Spoon the pasta into bowls, sprinkle with parsley, nooch and a handful of rocket, add a squeeze of lemon juice and tuck in. ‘BOSH! MEAT’ by Henry Firth and Ian Theasby (HQ, HarperCollins). Read More The dish that defines me: Mallini Kannan’s baked honey-soy salmon Breakfast for dinner and four other things you should cook this week How to save money in the kitchen according to top chefs Money-saving chilli con carne that absolutely slaps with flavour How to pimp up your instant ramen (and save money) Do it for the Gram: Speedy but spectacular goat’s cheese linguine

Wynn Resorts Ltd. said it expects to soon obtain a gaming license in Ras Al Khaimah, a northern

Is anyone loyal anymore? If we consult our makeup bags, we’d have to say absolutely not. Most of us use a lengthening mascara from one brand and a concealer from another, and never think twice about it. You probably bought them at different times, one while shopping for something else at Sephora and the other from LTK.

Brits are losing their minds over a TikTok showing two American influencers trying out "London snacks" – with one very unique choice. In a viral clip that's racked up over half a million views, couple Dani and TBell (@tanddtv) showcase the range of snacks including Walkers crisps, Starburst, a vegan KitKat, Skittles – and tinned mackerel. "Not looking forward to this," Dani tells viewers while holding up the tinned fish. "Oh my god, that looks appetising to you?" she says as they peel back the lid. "Yeah, it looks protein-packed," her partner TBell responds before giving it the taste test. TBell appears to thoroughly enjoy the "interesting" choice by rounding off with a cheese and onion crisp for good measure. "This is what you call fish and chips," he jokes while enjoying the mackerel and crisp combination. Meanwhile, Dani wasn't so much a fan and looked repulsed. "I don't like it," she says. "I'm going to be sick." It didn't take long for British viewers to spam the TikTok with comments, with one saying: "Calling mackerel and crisps fish and chips is just offensive" "Nobody in London eats mackerel for a snack," another highlighted, while a third reiterated: "This is not what we mean by fish and chips." @tanddtv this one was interesting?? #couplesthings #couplestravel #london #love #snacks #couplesmukbang #relationshipgoals The comments continued to roll in, with confusion around the fishy snack. "I don’t think any one in England eats tinned mackerel," one TikToker wrote. "Ya’ll really said let’s try fish and chips and bought canned mackerel and chips," another joked. Sign up for our free Indy100 weekly newsletter Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.

TikTok’s e-commerce arm struck a partnership with Advance Intelligence Group, a financial technology startup, to expand its online

Saudi Arabia is continuing its multi-billion-dollar entry into all aspects of global culture, hitting a new milestone on Thursday with the first Saudi designer presenting...

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On a sunny day off the southern coast of Greece last week, two aging tankers nestled next to

Software company Adobe unveiled a new futuristic “digital dress” that lets wearers change patterns on its surface on the fly with the click of a button. The dress, created under Adobe’s “Project Primrose”, is made of sequins which are “reflective light-diffuser modules” built using liquid crystals such as those in smart lighting. Researchers say the sequins are basically tiny screens built using smart materials. The dress was unveiled for the first time for the audience at Adobe’s MAX conference last week with the software company describing it as bringing “fabric to life”. Video from the conference showed Adobe researcher Christine Dierk wearing the strapless outfit, which appeared like an average cocktail dress on first impression, but the patterns on it begin to shift immediately with the touch of a remote button. “Unlike traditional clothing, which is static, Primrose allows me to refresh my look in a moment,” the Adobe scientist said while demonstrating that its colors can go from light to dark in a moment. The researcher-turned-model also showed that the dress not only had static changes, but also animated designs with patterns fading in and out. Ms Dierk, who not only designed the dress but also stitched it herself, demonstrated that the outfit will even respond to movement. Researchers say the dress is built using “reflective-backed polymer-dispersed liquid crystal (PDLC)” a material commonly used in smart windows. “This low-power non-emissive material can be cut to any shape, and dynamically diffuses light,” scientists wrote in a study presented at a tech conference last year, but it remains unclear how heavy the dress can actually get. “Designers can layer this technology into clothing, furniture, and other surfaces to unlock infinite style possibilities – such as the ability to download and wear the latest design from a favorite designer,” Adobe noted. They said the high-tech sequins are also used for smaller products part of Project Primrose including a handbag and a canvas. “We hope this work inspires future designers of flexible displays,” scientists said. Read More Photo giant Getty took a leading AI image-maker to court. Now it's also embracing the technology John Warnock, who helped invent the PDF and co-founded Adobe Systems, dies at age 82 In closed forum, tech titans to give senators advice on artificial intelligence Tell us if you think price is the biggest problem with electric cars Sadiq Khan, Met Commissioner to ask phone companies to ‘design out’ theft TikTok details plans for Israel-Hamas war posts