News about John Long

Fish and chips. Not so much a dish as a national obsession, an integral part of British heritage. This heavenly combination of sea and soil got us through the war years (fish and chips were never rationed) and continues to provide crisp, deep-fried delight. Who can resist the eternal thrill of that warm paper-wrapped packet, scented with vinegar and heady anticipation, ready to be ripped open and devoured, knife and fork very much optional? And while everything tastes better with the sea breeze fluttering through one's hair, a beach or port is not essential. Good fish and chips transcend mere location. As a food writer of 25 years, I've dined in more than 5,000 restaurants and have written nine food books. Here are my favourite fish and chip takeaways across Britain.

In a 380-million-year-old 'beautifully preserved' fossil of an ancient jawed fish, the world's oldest heart has been discovered. The heart was discovered by scientists from Curtin University along with a separate fossilized stomach, intestine, and liver, with the organs in a similar manner to modern shark anatomy. The team hopes that the finding will help to shed some light on the human body's evolutionary evolution.