- A news article about “cyborg rats” was shared, describing a breakthrough in which a robotic brain was implanted in a rodent, prompting a call for the underlying scientific papers.  
- Autodesk’s acquisition of the DIY project-sharing site Instructables (reported in July 2011) was noted as a significant corporate move in the open-hardware ecosystem.  
- A paper titled “Somatic Sex Reprogramming of Adult Ovaries to Testes by FOXL2 Ablation” was highlighted, illustrating direct genetic reprogramming of gonadal tissue in adult mammals.  
- A high-school student new to transhumanism joined the channel seeking career guidance, underscoring the community’s role in mentoring the next generation.  
- Kevin Warwick will offer a bionics course in Prague during the winter term, expanding hands-on neuro-prosthetics education in Europe.  
- Discussion linked to a SMBC comic (http://zs1.smbc-comics.com/comics/20110707.gif) and an Alltop article on how patent wars are stifling innovation, framing IP policy as a barrier to open transhumanist R&D.