Science News Roundup: the UK launches plan to capitalize on science and technology breakthroughs; Fish once labeled a 'living fossil' surprises scientists again

Johnson will chair a group set up to "provide strategic direction on the use of science and technology as the tools to tackle great societal challenges, level up across the country and boost prosperity around the world", his office said. Fish once labeled a 'living fossil' surprises scientists again The coelacanth - a wondrous fish that was thought to have gone extinct along with the dinosaurs 66 million years ago before unexpectedly being found alive and well in 1938 off South Africa's east coast - is offering up even more surprises.

Following is a summary of current science news briefs.

The UK launches plan to capitalize on science and technology breakthroughs

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said he would lead a new drive to capitalize on scientific and technological breakthroughs made in Britain with a program to direct research into areas that will benefit the public good. Johnson will chair a group set up to "provide strategic direction on the use of science and technology as the tools to tackle great societal challenges, level up across the country and boost prosperity around the world", his office said.

Fish once labeled a 'living fossil' surprises scientists again

The coelacanth - a wondrous fish that was thought to have gone extinct along with the dinosaurs 66 million years ago before unexpectedly being found alive and well in 1938 off South Africa's east coast - is offering up even more surprises. Scientists said a new study of these large and nocturnal deep-sea denizens shows that they boast a lifespan about five times longer than previously believed - roughly a century - and that females carry their young for five years, the longest-known gestation period of any animal.

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