- Sharpie-based microfluidics: Participants discussed using Sharpie-drawn channels as ultra-low-cost microfluidic devices and brainstormed actuation methods (thermal gradients, air flow, gravity, pneumatics, lasers, electrodes, electrohydrodynamic droplet transport).  
- Electrohydrodynamic droplet actuation: Gene referenced a now-broken nanoarchitecture.net article and a 2008 RSC paper (doi:b801516c) showing droplets that can be driven uphill or in any direction on an electrode array, with an accompanying video demonstration.  
- Liquid-film motor concept: katsmeow-afk pointed to a recent arXiv paper on rotating electrohydrodynamic flow in suspended liquid films, suggesting a Tesla-platter-like geometry; the work had just appeared on Slashdot.  
- Algae concentration experiment: kanzure proposed growing algae inside microfluidic bubbles so that exponential growth would naturally concentrate biomass, sidestepping large-scale filtration, but acknowledged the need for optical density (OD680) or LED monitoring to verify density.  
- Uncertainty propagation tutorial: fenn walked kanzure through proper error-propagation rules for lab data, emphasizing percentage addition and the distinction between standard deviation and true measurement uncertainty.  
- DIYbio community dynamics: kanzure lamented that his microfluidics post on the DIYbio list drew more GM-food flame wars than technical discussion; gene expressed surprise that DIYbio members might oppose GM plants.  
- Materials sourcing: Links and prices were shared for UV-curing glass adhesives (Kemxert, $21/oz) and hydrophobic coatings (Rain-X) as potential microfluidic fabrication aids.