• The 2014 DGAB Cryonics Symposium playlist was circulated as a current reference for state-of-the-art cryonics research and clinical practice discussions.

• A debate on the Fermi paradox framed Von Neumann probes as “candy-bar-cheap” for advanced civilizations, introduced r/K selection theory as a possible reason extraterrestrial intelligences might avoid self-replication, and defended the “null hypothesis” that no galaxy-spanning civilizations exist as the simplest explanation for the absence of large-scale engineering.

• MIT’s newly published “expansion microscopy” protocol (Science) was highlighted: fixed brain tissue is impregnated with a diaper-absorbent polymer, isotropically swells 4–10×, and becomes resolvable at sub-cellular scale with ordinary light microscopes; the group plans to post the protocol online and file patents for medical applications.

• An ACS Nano paper on an “Intelligent Keyboard” that simultaneously authenticates users via unique typing patterns and harvests energy from keystrokes was discussed as a route to self-powered electronics, though paywalls limit access.

• A cold-boot attack study showed that cooling DRAM to −50 °C (inverted canned air) preserves >99 % of bits for 10 min without power, and at −196 °C (liquid nitrogen) only 0.17 % decay after 60 min, underscoring the need for counter-measures such as keeping keys in CPU registers (TRESOR).

• nmz787_i ordered a 250 mW open-hardware mini-laser engraver for photoresist PCB exposure, illustrating the trend toward low-cost, open-source hardware for bio/DIY fabrication.

• genehacker requested a “toy” drug-design problem to test computational methods; the group proposed HIV-receptor binding, antimicrobials, and serotonin-receptor ligands as concrete pharmacophore challenges.

• Mycelium-based composites (“myco-composites”) and the book “Mycelium Running” were recommended as foundational resources for open biomaterial research.

• A Register article on de-anonymizing code via stylometry was countered with a humorous obfuscation tool that replaces identifiers with food or sex terms to defeat such analysis.

• Upverter’s new forum, Eurocircuits’ PCB PIXture service, and Raul Oaida’s Lego car were shared as examples of vibrant open-hardware ecosystems and inspirational engineering projects.