- **Ultrasound as a DC fluid actuator**: A user asked whether ultrasound can exert net (DC) forces on fluids in a sealed chamber; fenn explained that ultrasound is inherently AC and suggested a valvular conduit or flow rectifier as a possible workaround, while noting that optical-tweezer-like effects have only been demonstrated with solids.

- **DIY transhumanist declaration**: Bryan Bishop (“kanzure”) posted successive edits to a new “actually transhumanist declaration” on diyhplus.us, refining both content and formatting (including a switch to Times New Roman).

- **Phosphatidylserine as a butter-derived nootropic**: Discussion centered on phosphatidylserine—found in butter as part of phospholipids—as a potential cognitive enhancer; fenn cited 480 µg/g in Atlantic mackerel and lamented the lack of open analytical data or commercial mackerel-derived extracts, noting that cow-brain sources are banned over BSE fears.

- **Open-source mass spectrometry wish-list**: juri_ and fenn voiced regret over discarded GC/MS systems and called for an open-source mass-spec project, while acknowledging that simpler techniques like HPLC or TLC could answer many compositional questions if pure standards were available.

- **Emokit/Emotiv EEG Scala port inquiry**: fommil asked whether anyone had ported the Emokit (Emotiv EEG headset) Python code to Scala; kanzure confirmed no known Scala port exists.

- **Mesenchymal stem-cell extraction from fat**: delinquentme wondered how to obtain MSCs from adipose tissue; yashgaroth noted fat is MSC-rich but warned that isolation, identification, and expansion are non-trivial, and referenced a cautionary case of ectopic bone growth after cosmetic stem-cell injections.

- **Roboy open-source humanoid robot**: tylergillies linked the Roboy project (roboy.org), whose $290 k crowdfunding goal surprised kanzure; ThomasEgi critiqued the shoulder ball-joint rendering.

- **Makibox A6 3-D printer for biomaterials**: juri_ recommended the Makibox A6 (makible.com) as a low-cost, non-moving-bed printer suitable for biomaterial deposition, contrasting it with moving-Y platforms that risk disturbing delicate prints.

- **DLP-based micro-lithography and Fresnel reflectors**: nmz787 explored using DLP chips plus stepper motors for sub-micron layer-by-layer lithography, and proposed metallized Fresnel reflectors as chromatic-aberration-free, replicable optics for low-cost microscopes or spectrometers; fenn cautioned about wavelength-dependent diffraction artifacts.

- **“Lovotics” journal invite**: archels shared an unsolicited invitation to submit to “Lovotics: Academic Studies of Love and Friendship with Robots,” an open-access, peer-reviewed journal—met with incredulity given the non-April-1 date.