The first modern Britons probably had blue eyes, dark hair and dark brown skin, according to a new DNA analysis of the oldest complete skeleton ever found in the UK. Cheddar Man, dug up in Somerset in 1903, lived some 10,000 years ago, not long after settlers began crossing over from Europe at the end of the last ice age. Britons of white ancestry are descended from this population.

The discovery, based on analysis (by the Natural History Museum and University College London) of DNA extracted from Cheddar Man’s skull, underlines the fact that lighter skin tones are a relatively recent phenomenon in Europe. They may have become predominant only as recently as 6,000 years ago. With the advent of farming, people may have started to eat more cereal and eat less oily fish, leading to vitamin D deficiencies. At that point, those with fairer skin, which absorbs more vitamin D from sunlight, may have gained a genetic advantage. (The Week 17 Feb 2018)

Message to immigrant haters and racists generally: if you can wait about 6000 years all the dark skinned immigrants you now want to send home will have become white. All will be well. In terms of the age of the planet this is just a twinkling of an eye. Just be patient.

(Makes it all seem rather silly, doesn’t it?).