- A mathematician circulated a draft protocol titled “A hypothetical protocol for DIYBIO DNA synthesis” that proposes an enzymatic route to long, accurate ssDNA using terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TdT) and thermolabile nucleotide analogs; participants critiqued its feasibility, noting the need for double-stranded targets for type IIS restriction enzymes and questioned the author’s grasp of basic molecular biology.  
- Discussion pivoted to practical implementation: using TdT-generated templates followed by nicking-enzyme/polymerase amplification was suggested as a simpler path, and the group debated whether a chemist or a general molecular-biology “tweaker” was more valuable for endless optimization cycles.  
- CleanAmp™ thermolabile dNTPs from TriLink were cited as a commercial source (~$310 for 10 µmol each), with the caveat that only small quantities are consumed after initial template generation.  
- A West Virginia town was offered for sale for $1 M and jokingly floated as a ready-made transhumanist “cult compound,” prompting half-serious interest from channel members.  
- Google’s $500 M settlement with the DoJ over knowingly selling AdWords to a fake Mexican drug lord was highlighted as a cautionary tale for tech companies monetizing gray-market pharma ads.  
- Open Philanthropy Project’s retrospective on past AI forecasts was shared, encouraging evidence-based timelines and risk assessment for advanced artificial-intelligence development.  
- Participants exchanged links to BRL-CAD-to-G-code pipelines, microfluidic DNA-synthesis yield improvements, and a Hackaday article urging tighter collaboration between software and mechanical engineers in bio-hardware projects.