Hybrid embryos containing both human and animal material have been created for the first time in the UK, the BBC reported yesterday (April 1).

Scientists at Newcastle University led by Lyle Armstrong inserted nuclei from human skin cells into hollowed-out cow eggs to create cytoplasmic hybrids, or "cybrids." Some of the human-animal embryos lived for three days, and the largest grew up to 32 cells. Although this is a European first, a similar achievement was made by a Chinese team at Shanghai Second Medical University using rabbit eggs in 2003.

The research, which has not yet been published, was discussed by Armstrong at a conference in Israel last week. The announcement comes about a month before the British parliament is set to debate the controversial Human Embryology and Fertilisation Bill, which will formalize the legal status of research on "admixed human embryos" that contain animal material.