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The earliest Early Modern Human (Homo sapien) fossil has been found outside Africa. A partial jaw discovered in a cave in northern Israel is thought to be the remains of one of the earliest modern humans to have left Africa over 180,000 years ago. Roland Pease speaks to archaeologists Israel Hershkovitz and Mina Weinstein-Evron.

Cancer Blood Test
A new blood test designed to detect eight different types of cancer managed to pick up 7 out of 10 cases in patients – creating the possibility of a routine test for cancer. In another study, researchers say that testing all women for the faulty BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes – which carry a higher risk of developing breast and ovarian cancer - would be cost-effective and could save lives. Professor Paul Pharoah from the University of Cambridge speaks to Claudia Hammond.

Turtle Feminisation
Populations of green turtles breeding around the Great Barrier Reef in Australia are becoming predominantly female because of global warming. The sex of many reptile embryos, including the green turtle, is determined by the temperatures they are exposed to during development. UK conservationist Brendan Godley of the University of Exeter spoke to Roland Pease.

Did Typhoid Kill the Aztecs?
In some areas of the Americas as many as 95% of the indigenous population died of diseases brought in by the discoverers of the New World. Pandemics hit the population who had little immunity to diseases carried by people and livestock. One outbreak responsible for killing millions started in 1545 and was locally called 'cocoliztli'. Adam Rutherford talks to Johannes Krause of the Max Planck Institute who has analysed the teeth of ten individuals from a mass grave and historian Caroline Dodds Pennock from the University of Sheffield discusses the difficulties of knowing for definite what killed so many millions of people.

Bitcoin Encoded into DNA
Using DNA to store data is relatively new, and to test the method, scientists encoded a bitcoin’s data into DNA and set the challenge for the virtual currency to be mined. Marnie Chesterton investigates this very 21st century puzzle.

Disco Ball Put into Space from NZ
A highly reflective sphere has been placed in orbit by a New Zealand-launched rocket. The ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ’s Science Correspondent Jonathan Amos tells us about this, and other small-rocket launches.

Body Image and Nature
Many people find it relaxing to spend time in the countryside. Past research has looked at the impact on wellbeing of spending time in nature. But could it even improve your satisfaction with your own body? Professor Viren Swami from Anglia Ruskin University in Cambridge explains the benefits to Claudia Hammond.

(Image caption: Fossil jawbone from Israel is the oldest modern human found outside Africa– credit: AFP Photo/Rolf Quam/Binghamton University)

The Science Hour was presented by Marnie Chesterton with comments from ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Science Correspondent Jonathan Amos

Producer: Katy Takatsuki

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