Lab meat ‘is green option’
Population projection as growth rate slows
MAN-made meat which tastes like the real thing could help save the planet, scientists claim.
Using rabbit and cow cells, they grew muscle tissue in a petri dish which mimics the texture and consistency of meat.
The lab-grown meat could offer a greener alternative to large-scale meat production in the UK.
Study author Professor Kit Parker, of Harvard University, said: “The goal is reducing the environmental footprint of food.” 2019 2032
BRITAIN’S population is set to pass 70 million by mid-2031.
The number will reach an estimated 69.4 million in mid-2028 and hit 72.4 million by mid-2043.
But the Office for National Statistics said the growth rate is projected to 2043
drop from 0.60% in mid-2019 to 0.27% by mid-2043, slower than thought.
This is based on an assumption women will have fewer children, in light of falls in fertility rates, and a slower rate of the increase in life expectancy.
Between mid-2018 and mid-2028, net international migration is expected to account for 73% of growth, with more births than deaths making up the rest.
The proportion aged 85 and over is expected to nearly double over 25 years.
Alp Mehmet, of Migration Watch UK, branded the figures a “staggering projection”, warning of the pressure rising numbers could place on housing, transport, schools and health care.
■ Figures released today from Equity Release Council show the number of over-65s living alone is on course to outnumber those aged under 65 for the first time within the next three years.