As students reluctantly return to Cambridge and the prospect of Exam Term, Cambridge professor Sir Colin Humphreys has given them a scientific reason to be resentful for the fact that friends from other universities are still enjoying homely comforts.

In a new book, the professor, who is based in the Department of Materials Sciences and Metallurgy, reveals that the Last Supper took place on the 1st April AD33, and that 'Maundy Thursday' was actually on a Wednesday.

Humphreys’ research challenges the day on which millions of Christians have commemorated the Last Supper for centuries, and has re-opened the debate over whether the date of Easter should be fixed.

In The Mystery Of The Last Supper, Humphreys claims to have solved what has stumped scholars for years, by explaining why the dates in John’s Gospel contradict those of Matthew, Mark and Luke.

With commendable diplomacy, the professor makes use of an age-old explanation: they’re all right!

His solution is based on astrological, theological and scientific evidence that the discrepancy in date was due to the fact that both John and Jesus worked from an older calendar system rather than the official Jewish one of the time.

But perhaps the more immediate impact of this study for students will be the added momentum to pre-term grumblings over why this year’s Easter egg collection will suffer.

“I just think it would be more convenient for general life if the date was fixed to the first Sunday in April,” the professor recommended.

Unfortunately, Humphrey’s attempt to finally restrain Easter from its indecisive habits will be likely to fail: the Easter Act of 1928 declared a set Sunday of celebration but was never actually implemented.