Lab notes: What's jolly, wears red and could be a source of psychological trauma?

I know, it's still November, but psychologists have managed to get in early with some seasonal gloom (well, the news on melting Arctic ice isn't great, but since it's been decided that's "politicised science", it's not important, right?). Apparently, belief in Santa Claus spells potential trouble for parent-child relationships. Me, I'm more concerned that the Man in Red's well-documented long-term obesity has had an impact on his microbiome, which according to researchers could contribute to a cycle of yo-yo weight loss. Still, it's possible that as an unageing supernatural being Santa is ahead of the scientific curve - this week researchers have announced that they are going to launch a human trial of a process that "resets" abnormal levels of proteins seen in older blood. It's hoped that this will slow down the ageing process and prevent age-related diseases. This would be welcome progress, given the disappointment this week as potential Alzheimer's drug solanezumab failed to deliver in the final stage of clinical trials. I'm not going to leave you on a sad note - let's go bittersweet first: ESA scientists have trawled through the Schiaparelli data and think they know what went wrong with the Mars lander. And to make you actually smile and go "wow!", here's an amazing new resource that shows the first eight weeks of human embryonic development, plus a cool canine memory study. And if you're scared of dogs, here's some good news on the phobia front too. All better now?