Lab notes: Cheddar Man and Falcon X –not a crimefighting duo, but this week in science!

Where to even begin this week? Could it be with the news that human eggs have been developed in the lab for the first time? Or that researchers think they may have spotted a link between asparagine - a compound found in asparagus and other foods - and the spread of breast cancer? Maybe that archaeologists have discovered an exciting new Neolithic monument in Windsor? All of those things are certainly exciting, but really the two most thrilling stories this week are certainly Cheddar Man and Falcon Heavy: not a crimefighting duo but an exciting double-header of science and archaeology. Cheddar Man is Britain's oldest complete skeleton, and a groundbreaking analysis of his 10,000-year-old DNA has revealed that he had blue eyes, dark skin and dark curly hair, rather than the pale skin and fair hair that had always been assumed. By contrast, the incredible technological leap that has been made with the launch of Elon Musk's giant SpaceX rocket, and the safe return to Earth of at least two of three reusable rockets, promises a new new chapter in humankind's existence.