Lab notes: a meteoric week of wax and whisky

The biggest news this week is further evidence that the use of vaginal mesh needs to be looked at again: NHS figures suggest that traumatic complications mean one in 15 women fitted with the most common type of mesh support will require surgery to extract it. While we're down there, a survey has revealed that pubic grooming has a surprisingly high injury rate. And if you need a steadying post-depilation whisky, two chemists say they have discovered why diluting your dram might make it taste better. It may be that whisky is not enough to banish your waxing woe. If that's the case then good news: memories (specifically those of fear in this study) can be permanently erased, researchers have shown. Their work in mice reveals a new approach to wiping memories from the brain, demonstrating that specific memories can be weakened or strengthened. One thing you won't want to forget, however, is the excitement of Chilesaurus, "the most bizarre dinosaur ever found". Originally classified as a relative of T rex, analysis shows Chilesaurus belongs to a different dinosaurian group, with implications for the dinosaur family tree - basically, it's the missing link in dinosaur evolution.