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Blake, Wm. The Last Supper- 'Verily I Say Unto You That One of You Shall Betray Me.' 1799.

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Scientists have engineered a hybrid “meaty” rice, combining the grain with beef muscle and fat cells. The team behind it hopes to provide an affordable and eco-friendly protein source.

First, the beef cells are grown in a lab and attached to rice grains using fish gelatine. The rice then cultures in a petri dish for up to 11 days, potentially serving as “famine relief, military ration, or even space food.”

This hybrid rice is said to be firmer and brittler than regular rice but has 8% more protein and 7% more fat, offering a nutritional boost. It also has a lower carbon footprint than traditional beef production, emitting significantly less carbon dioxide.

Researcher: “We usually obtain the protein we need from livestock, but livestock production consumes a lot of resources and water and releases a lot of greenhouse gas. Imagine obtaining all the nutrients we need from cell-cultured protein rice. I didn't expect the cells to grow so well in the rice. Now I see a world of possibilities for this grain-based hybrid food.”