- A Nature paper (nature10489) was shared, though no discussion of its contents followed.  
- Discover Magazine’s “Dawn of the Biohackers” and an OpenSource.com piece on Hackteria’s device-reuse projects were highlighted as mainstream coverage of DIY biology.  
- MakerBot’s new $10 M funding round and interview with Bre Pettis were noted as a milestone for open-source hardware.  
- A proposed automated-trading strategy (Algodeal) was floated as a possible income source to fund transhumanist projects.  
- A public controversy involving Halcyon Molecular and Dr. Randal Koene surfaced via a blog accusing Koene of rape and paternity fraud; participants expressed skepticism and concern.  
- Members sought paywalled papers on legume toxicity and lectins to counter nutritional claims on Reddit; a Vimeo lecture on lectin safety was offered as a quick rebuttal.  
- A long debate unfolded over the merits of establishing an off-grid, solar-powered intentional community in the Arizona desert to free up 40+ hours/week for H+ research versus staying within existing urban infrastructure.  
- Practical concerns raised included property-tax rates ($12/year for 360 acres in AZ), code enforcement in unincorporated areas, and the trade-offs of self-built housing versus shipping-container or mobile solutions.