• A new open-source NIR-spectroscopy method for measuring alcohol content was discussed: a 920 nm LED plus 1020 nm LED source and an ILX511/​TCD1304 silicon detector can target the 900 nm ethanol absorption peak, avoiding the need for expensive InGaAs sensors.

• Participants compared three low-cost DIY approaches for ABV measurement: (1) oscillating U-tube density meters (hard to source), (2) fuel-cell breathalyzer chips from Dart Sensors (≈US$5 each, need temperature-controlled headspace sampling), and (3) the above NIR spectrometer built from a 365–1100 nm “blue” unit with 3 nm resolution.

• Beer-Lambert law and standard-addition calibration curves were recommended to convert raw absorbance at 900 nm into precise ethanol concentration, with warnings that temperature and matrix effects must be tightly controlled.

• Links to key resources: Hamamatsu NIR sensor overview, Hindawi paper on LED-based alcohol determination, Dart Sensors dry-alcohol standards, and Science-for-the-Masses night-vision eye-drop project.

• Cryptographic-security links shared: “V8worker” minimal Go-to-V8 binding, Rusty Russell’s Lightning Network revocable-transaction post, the “Malicious SHA-1” collision demo, and two papers on hardware backdoors in military-grade FPGAs.

• Discussion of synthetic-biology vs. chemistry: gene_hacker argued that once automated synthesis machines exist, predictable protein-folding regions become less interesting than building arbitrary supramolecular structures, citing a Science paper on modular covalent-organic frameworks.

• nmz787_i asked whether LASIK or similar ablative techniques could be repurposed to remove scar tissue on the tympanic membrane to restore high-frequency hearing, noting inner-ear grafts might limit effectiveness.

• CaptHindsight posted a $299 “AgIC” inkjet circuit-printer starter kit; fenn and others debated how to attach components to paper PCBs—solder paste, conductive adhesive, or ultrasonic bonding—and the high resistance of silver-ink traces.

• kanzure highlighted Hypothesis 1.0, a new property-based testing library for Python, and linked to Hacker News coverage and official documentation.

• Federal subpoena of Reddit user data for dark-web drug-forum posts was noted, with Wired and Hacker News articles provided for context.