- MIT’s Synthetic Neurobiology Group is developing “expanded brain tissue” techniques that turn neural tissue into a soft jelly, then rigidify it with electron-microscopy resins so ultra-thin slices can be cut and antibody-stained to trace individual synapses.  
- Open Philanthropy has posted a detailed grant write-up on the MIT Center for Extreme Bionics, outlining the Media Lab’s roadmap for high-resolution connectomics and next-gen brain–machine interfaces.  
- A new Science paper introduces “brainwide neural-behavioral maps” created with multiscale unsupervised learning, raising the possibility that the connectome itself may shift between repeated imaging sessions.  
- Researchers shared links to FISSEQ (in-situ RNA sequencing), targeted deaminase genome editing, and forward-error-correction codes for DNA data storage—each positioned as key tools for large-scale neural and genomic recording projects.  
- Intel’s early-1990s 80170NX Electrically Trainable Neural Network chip resurfaced in discussion, alongside speculation that Intel’s recent Curie module may descend from the same analog neuromorphic lineage.  
- A micro-python Fourier-analysis repository was circulated as a lightweight option for on-device neural signal processing in embedded BMI or lab-automation setups.  
- Lab automation links included LabCyte’s acoustic liquid-handling systems for “acoustic mass-spec” and a vision-guided nano-robotic platform that performs high-throughput, non-embedded single-cell cutting under SEM-CT imaging.  
- A plastic metamaterial mechanism built from silicone cell grids was demonstrated—flexible cells shear to move rigid neighbors, yielding monolithic mechanical logic without hinges or bearings.