Connect with us

Published

4 years ago

on

How would you like your steak: rare, well-done, or 3D-printed? Well, thanks to scientists from Japan this is now a legitimate question as they have managed to create the world’s first-ever 3D-printed Wagyu beef. While it may sound unbelievable, researchers from Osaka University say that the steak created in the lab bears great resemblance to that made from the world-renowned Wagyu beef cattle. To achieve this, the team isolated stem cells from Wagyu cows. These stem cells were then incubated and converted into muscle, fat, and blood vessel cells.

With the help of 3D-printing technology, this was then converted into a three-dimensional stack that resembled the real steak, accurate even to its marbling. The marbling is what most meat connoisseurs and food experts will be keeping an eye out for as it lends the meat its rich flavours and distinctive texture. Wagyu beef is famous around the globe for this very marbling. 

According to a paper published in the Nature Communications journal, the steak created had a diameter of 5mm and a length of 10mm. “In this study, a total of 72 fibres comprising 42 muscles, 28 adipose tissues, and 2 blood capillaries were constructed by tendon-gel integrated bioprinting and manually assembled to fabricate steak-like meat,” the paper detailed.

Speaking about the development, lead author Dong-Hee Kang said in a statement, “Using the histological structure of Wagyu beef as a blueprint, we have developed a 3D-printing method that can produce tailor-made complex structures, like muscle fibres, fat, and blood vessels.”

What does this mean for food and meat-manufacturing sectors? It could be the beginning of a more sustainable future, the team explained. “This work may help usher in a more sustainable future with widely available cultured meat, that is closer to existing products,” Dong-Hee Kang said. 

In a similar vein, senior author Michiya Matsusaki added that improving the technology would help make subtle adjustments to the fat and muscle components. This, the team explained, would help people make informed decisions about the kind of cultured meat they want to consume. Further development of the technology would help meat eaters take into consideration what they want to consume based on the desired amount of fat, taste, and health parameters of the cultured meat.

The development comes at a time when even “cultured meat has drawn tremendous attention from the standpoints of ethics, economics, the environment, and public health,” the paper said. The technology gains further relevance at a time cattle farming techniques practised presently are considered unsustainable from the climate change and population explosion perspectives.  

Are the Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Z Flip 3 still made for enthusiasts — or are they good enough for everyone? We discussed this on Orbital, the Gadgets 360 podcast. Orbital is available on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music and wherever you get your podcasts.

Related Topics:
Continue Reading

Science

A Pyramid in the Amazon? The Mystery of Cerro El Cono in Peru’s Sierra del Divisor

Published

3 hours ago

on

May 6, 2025

By

A Pyramid in the Amazon? The Mystery of Cerro El Cono in Peru's Sierra del Divisor

The mysterious peak of Cerro El Cono, standing isolated in the Sierra del Divisor, a mountainous border between Peru and Brazil, has drawn attention of researchers for its mysterious pyramidal shape, emerging from the plain and protruding from the virgin lowland forest. In the Andes mountain range, the structure is visible from a distance of up to 250 miles (400 kilometers) on clear days. Because of its remote location, Cerro El Cono’s origins have remained a mystery. Some reports suggest that “The cone hill” may just be a peculiar rock structure, while others speculate that it may be an extinct volcano. 

Origin Theories

According to research featured in La República, the 1310-foot-tall Corro El Cono is a spiritual entity for the local tribes. It is respected as an Andean Apu, a secret mountain believed to hold protective powers for the people living in its vicinity.

Some researchers speculate it as an extinct volcano due to its distinct shape, but this hypothesis remains unconfirmed due to limited research and accessibility issues in this area.
Another explanation — one for which there is no evidence — is that Cerro El Cono sits on the ruins of a pyramid built by ancient Indigenous tribes.

Conservation challenges

The surrounding jungle of Cerro El Cono is a home to several vulnerable species, including giant armadillos (Priodontes maximus), jaguars (Panthera onca) and various types of monkeys, according to The Guardian. This makes it environmentally significant and it is considered a Biodiversity hotspot.

To combat threats of environmental degradation due to illegal logging, gold mining, and poaching, Sierra del Divisor National Park was created in 2015. But recent surveys show, this protected park has failed to deliver the promised threat removal.

For the latest tech news and reviews, follow Gadgets 360 on X, Facebook, WhatsApp, Threads and Google News. For the latest videos on gadgets and tech, subscribe to our YouTube channel. If you want to know everything about top influencers, follow our in-house Who’sThat360 on Instagram and YouTube.


Motorola Razr 60 Ultra With Snapdragon 8 Elite Chip, Moto AI Suite Confirmed to Launch in India Soon



iQOO Neo 10 Pro+ Moniker Surfaces Online; Launch Timeline, Key Features Tipped

Continue Reading

Science

Hubble Captures Stunning Image of Peculiar Spiral Galaxy Arp 184 in Camelopardalis

Published

3 hours ago

on

May 6, 2025

By

Hubble Captures Stunning Image of Peculiar Spiral Galaxy Arp 184 in Camelopardalis

NASA/ESA Hubble space telescope has captured a beautiful yet skewed-shaped spiral galaxy that resides about 190 million light-years away from Earth. This galaxy, named Arp 184 or NGC 1961, is a part of the Camelopardalis or the Giraffe constellation. Its vivid and dazzling image reveals its asymmetric shape, and a single spiral arm stretched towards the viewer make it an interesting prospect for studies. The occurrence of multiple supernovae has drawn the attention of researchers to be a valuable target for research into galactic interactions and stellar explosions.

Cataloguing the galaxy

According to the Atlas of Peculiar Galaxies compiled by astronomer Halton, Arp in 1966, the galaxy is named Arp 184. This catalogues about 338 galaxies that tend to be neither entirely spiral nor entirely elliptical-shaped. Dwarf galaxies without particular structures and the galaxies interacting with one another are also catalogued here. Arp 184 has a bright spot radiating light as the centre. A thick, stormy disc of material surrounds this, with swirling strands of dark dust and bright spots of star formation strewn through the disc.

A large spiral, star-speckled arm extends from the disc towards the viewer, for which it has earned a spot in this Atlas. The far side of Arp 184 does not have this impressive stretched arm, but it sports a few wisps of gas and stars on that side.

Hubble snapshot observing programs

The Hubble image showcases data from three Snapshot observing programs, one of which focused on Arp 184 for its unique appearance. The program surveyed galaxies listed in the Atlas of Peculiar Galaxies and A Catalogue of Southern Peculiar Galaxies and Associations. The other two programs examined the aftermath of astronomical events like supernovae and tidal disruption events. Arp 184, having hosted four known supernovae in the past three decades, is a prime target for a supernova hunt.

Continue Reading

Science

NASA’s Don Pettit Returns to Earth with Russian Crewmates After ISS Science Mission

Published

3 hours ago

on

May 6, 2025

By

NASA’s Don Pettit Returns to Earth with Russian Crewmates After ISS Science Mission

The Soyuz MS-26 spacecraft returned to Earth after a months-long mission on the International Space Station on April 19, 2025. Along with cosmonauts Alexey Ovchinin and Ivan Vagner, the spacecraft carried NASA astronaut Don Pettit too. Undocked from the ISS, the spacecraft drifted away and began descending three hours later to land in Kazakhstan. Pettit’s time in orbit was marked by numerous scientific investigations focused on future space missions, including experiments on metal 3D printing, advanced water sanitation, plant biology, and fire behaviour in microgravity.

Back to Earth: Soyuz Returns Don Pettit and Crewmates After Scientific Mission in Orbit

As per the NASA mission summary, Pettit logged hundreds of hours on research projects aimed at enhancing long-duration spaceflight technologies. Agency updates state that the 3D printing experiments advanced additive manufacturing in weightless conditions, while the fire dynamics tests offered critical data for onboard safety measures. Research on water purification and sustainable plant growth will help support life support systems on future lunar and Martian habitats.

The Soyuz‘s successful return added another chapter to routine international crew rotation efforts between NASA and Roscosmos. The landing site in Kazakhstan remains a standard recovery zone, where helicopters and ground teams met the crew for medical checks and post-flight evaluations. Despite the early morning landing, visibility was clear, ensuring a smooth retrieval.

Pettit’s mission emphasised how the ISS remains a critical platform for microgravity research. His investigations contribute directly to ongoing goals for sustainable space exploration and planetary habitation, aligning with NASA’s Artemis and Mars-forward objectives.

With the Soyuz MS-26 crew safely home, the ISS programme continues with its next phase of operations, including further earth science, space technology testing, and international crew collaboration.

Continue Reading

Trending