- A discussion on building a brain-region knowledge base highlighted the lack of a standardized coordinate system for mapping neuroscience data; participants considered using GIS-like brain atlases and questioned the reliability of anatomical region labeling in existing MRI/fMRI studies.  
- DIY rubber production experiments were attempted with common dandelions, but participants learned that only the Russian dandelion (Taraxacum kok-saghyz) yields useful latex, and guayule shrubs in U.S. deserts already contain 500 million lb of harvestable natural rubber.  
- A $25 open-source thermocycler design (≈ $100 in parts) was evaluated for weekend construction; the build requires adding a cooling fan and possibly an air-release valve.  
- Participants prototyped ultra-low-cost microscopes: a water-droplet lens on a syringe tip and a paper-clip/wood-frame version, with links to Ohio State and DIYbio papers on water-drop projectors and capillary-flow microfluidics.  
- Links to open notebooks and tool repositories were shared, including kanzure’s ADL scripts collection (adl.serveftp.org/dokuwiki/scripts) and mirrored copies of hard-to-find papers on microfluidics and microscopy.  
- A Google patent on gear-profile generation (US 6,973,893) was being translated into usable code for open-source CAD/CAM applications.  
- Weekend project ideas circulated: 7-Up as a proto-slow medium for microscopy, flexible barium-titanate or diamond thin films for high-voltage insulation, and repurposing an Arduino or future NeoRunner as a pocket oscilloscope.