Scientists have created a model human embryo to study the first weeks of life, complete with a heartbeat and traces of blood. The synthetic embryo was created with human stem cells and did not require sperm, eggs or fertilisation. It mimics the structure that occurs during the first month of pregnancy. Yet, scientists ensured it was designed to not form a foetus. Researchers involved in the extraordinary project discovered that the model had early stages of developing a brain and beating heart cells, which generally develop after 23 days in a human embryo. It was achieved through embryonic stem cells, which are 'blank' cells from a human embryo. Scientists grew the model in a lab before transferring it to a rotating bottle to act as an artificial uterus, The Guardian reported. Sign up for our free Indy100 weekly newsletter Scientists hope the findings will help them understand more about the impact of genetic disorders and miscarriage. Dr Jitesh Neupane, of the University of Cambridge’s Gurdon Institute, told the publication: "I randomly took my plate under the microscope and when I saw the [heartbeat] for the first time I was scared, honestly. I had to look down and look back again. "It was overwhelming for me. People get emotional when you see the heartbeat." He went on to emphasise that the model is "neither embryos nor are [they] trying to make embryos actually." "They are just models that could be used to look into specific aspects of human development," he continued. The findings are yet to be published in either a preprint or a journal paper. 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.

LAFC manager Steve Cherundolo gave praise to Inter Miami after losing to the visitors at home.

Fifa president Gianni Infantino said it is women who “have the power to change” football and achieve equality in the game. It has already been a record-breaking Women’s World Cup, with the tournament in Australia and New Zealand setting its highest-ever attendance figures of over two million people as well as drawing booming TV audiences around the globe. The Fifa president also said the World Cup has generated over $570m (£447m) in revenues and has “broke even” financially ahead of Sunday’s final between England and Spain. There remains a huge discrepancy in prize money between the men’s and women’s World Cups, however. Despite a 10-fold increase from the last Women’s World Cup in 2019, the record prize money of $152m (£126m) announced by Fifa before the tournament remains some way short of the reported $440m (£365m) prize money on offer to teams at last year’s men’s finals in Qatar. While Infantino said Fifa remains on track to achieve equal pay between the men’s and women’s World Cup at the 2026 and 2027 tournaments, the Fifa president urged media and sponsors to step to help bridge the gap and said women “have the power to convince men” that equity in football can be reached. Infantino, who was speaking at Fifa’s women’s football convention in Sydney ahead of Sunday’s World Cup final, said in his closing remarks: “We have to start treating men and women, or women and men, in the same way. “And I say to all the women - and you know I have four daughters, so I have a few at home - I say to all the women, that you have the power to change. “Pick the right battles. Pick the right fights. You have the power to change. You have the power to convince us men what we have to do and what we don’t have to do. You do it. Just do it. “With men, with Fifa, you will find open doors. Just push the doors. They are open. And do it also at national level, in every country, at continental level, in every confederation. Just keep pushing, keep the momentum, keep dreaming, and let’s really go for a full equality. “Not just equal pay in the World Cup, which is a slogan that comes up every now and then. Equal pay in the World Cup, we are going in that direction already. But that would not solve anything. “It might be a symbol but it would not solve anything, because it’s one month every four years and it’s a few players out of the thousands and thousands of players. “We need to keep the momentum. We need to push it. We need to go for equality but we have to do it for real. And you, here in this room, all the women in this room, you have the power to do it. So believe in it.” Infantino hailed the impact of the first-ever 32-team Women’s World Cup, which led to historic achievements from several teams at the tournament and several shocks during the the group stages. Colombia, South Africa and Jamaica all reached the knockout stages of the World Cup for the first time, defying the odds to upset established nations such as Germany and Brazil. The Fifa president said the tournament has “simply been the best and greatest and biggest Women’s World Cup ever” and said the tournament has answered the “critics” who said the competition was expanding too quickly. “I’m sorry but Fifa was right. Fifa was right,” Infantino said. “As it happens quite often in the last years, Fifa was right once more.” He continued: “We didn’t lose any money and we generated the second highest income of any sport, besides of course the men’s World Cup, at a global stage. More than half a billion “There are not many competitions, even in men’s football, who generate more than half a billion. “This shows what? This shows that our strategy was probably not too bad. That, of course, we have to do still much better. “Before the beginning of the World Cup we heard some critical voices, but now we see the audiences. “So the pledge has to be, and to ask everyone, in terms of broadcasters, sponsors, partners, to of course pay a fair price to women’s football. Not to the World Cup, the World Cup has already generated over 570m, but to women’s football in general in all the countries, in all the leagues, in all the competitions.” Read More ‘Another reason to whinge’: Australian media criticise England after Matildas beaten at Women’s World Cup England’s deadly duo have already provided the answer to the Lauren James debate What time is the World Cup final on Sunday and who will England play? FIFA president calls for ‘full equality’ in football beyond Women’s World Cup ‘They abuse us’: Workers making Fifa World Cup merchandise face harm, says report What time is the World Cup final on Sunday and who will England play?

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