The Know Daily - Monday 7 April 2025

_{Read in 4m 38s ∙ Listening to Sade ∙}

Across the US, the number of bars dedicated to showing women’s sports are expected to quadruple in 2025, amid a surge in interest 🏀 Bar owners told NBC News they wanted to create spaces where “everyone feels welcome”.

🥩 Food evolution

Lab-grown meat may be legalised in the UK.

What’s the story?
The Food Standards Agency (FSA) is considering legalisation of meat products for human consumption, grown from animal cells in specialised production plants. If approved, it would make the UK the first European country to do so, following the likes of Singapore and many US states which have seen widespread distribution of these products since 2020 and 2023 respectively. It’s been suggested that lab-grown food could be more environmentally and ethically-conscious as food consumption is predicted to rise by more than 50% by 2050 with the world’s growing population.

Why now?
Earlier this year, lab-grown dog food went on sale for the first time in the UK, and now the food regulator for England, Wales and Northern Ireland is proposing legalising cell-cultured human food to be on supermarket shelves within the next few years. The FSA has been awarded £1.6m of government funding to develop a safety assessment.

What’s the reaction been?
European countries have largely been opposed to the uptake of cell-cultivated meat, with Italy banning it entirely. Those against the practice say it is an ultra-processed food, and there is currently a trend moving away from them. Plus, there are the environmental considerations of the energy used to power the production facilities, and the livelihoods of livestock farmers being affected. Ethical matters about how livestock are used in the process also need further clarification.

However, others state it could help reduce emissions from livestock rearing and animal welfare concerns. FSA’s chief scientist says there will be “no compromise on consumer safety” with rigorous testing before products go on sale. The fact that lab-grown meat has been used in numerous countries over the last 5 years means there is already evidence of the health and safety regulations required. What’s more, science minister Lord Patrick Valance reiterated this could “innovate sustainable food production”. And it seems there is some appetite for the products, as a survey by the FSA found that up to 41% of people in the UK would be willing to try lab-grown meat.

💰 Monday Monday: As a result of the Trump administration’s tariffs, stock markets around the globe have fallen – here’s the latest.

🧑‍🚀 Making moonglass: Solar cells made from moon dust could boost space exploration – here’s how.

🧑‍⚕️ Health at home: A new programme set to be rolled out in June will see health workers sent door-to-door across England.

📱 Social sale: TikTok’s sale-or-ban law in the US has been postponed by 75 days.

🚆 Train travel: The EU is giving away thousands of rail passes to 18-year-olds – here’s how to get one.

🎭 Theatre’s best: The prestigious 2025 Olivier Awards took place last night – check out the winners here.

🔗 Last week’s most clicked: Sustainable manicures, a Europe-wide railway system and the world’s most photogenic bookshops.

Help your friends feel better about the news. Get them to sign up using your personalised code 👉 https://theknowmedia.beehiiv.com/subscribe?ref=PLACEHOLDER

⭐ Get clicking - this tells our partners that readers are interested in The Know. Let’s get started with this one!

⭐ Add us to your contacts or primary inbox - this makes sure we reach your inbox (and everyone else’s) each morning.

The Know is on a mission to help everyone start their day feeling informed and hopeful. We only recommend things we genuinely love but sometimes we make money from the links and content we share. This directly supports keeping our journalism free for all.

Trivia answer: A) The Matterhorn in Switzerland is the mountain on the original Toblerone bar.

How did you find today’s email?
😍 Loved it! | 😕 Could be better…

Need fewer emails? Click here to hear from us once a week.