- A proposal was floated to create “organic-friendly” GMOs by deleting existing genes in semi-domesticated or wild plants rather than inserting foreign DNA, potentially sidestepping consumer resistance while accelerating domestication.  
- Researchers demonstrated a CRISPR-Cas9 method to repress serine-integrase activity in E. coli by deploying catalytically dead Cas9 (dCas9) to block integrase attachment sites; this enables finer control over synthetic-biology memory and differentiation circuits.  
- The channel discussed using oyster mushrooms and other fungi to sequester heavy metals (lead, lithium, petroleum residues) from contaminated soil, with fruiting bodies concentrating toxins for later metal recovery.  
- A curated list of every iGEM project (2014–2016) was shared, summarizing lead-remediation efforts via metallothionein-expressing E. coli and other bio-accumulation strategies.  
- Links to open-access books were provided: Paul Stamets’ “Mycelium Running” (available on libgen.io) and his TED talk on six ways mushrooms can “save the world.”  
- A hardware-level USB firewall (USG) was highlighted as a defense against BadUSB attacks, offering physical isolation of untrusted USB devices.  
- Chrome extension “Sci-Hub Links” was noted for one-click paper retrieval via Sci-Hub, streamlining access to pay-walled research.  
- Snapshots from Cell Press were circulated, including comparative diagrams of Class 1 and Class 2 CRISPR-Cas systems, aiding rapid orientation in CRISPR tool choice.  
- Conversation touched on the genetics of bacterial morphology, citing studies on Caulobacter crescentus curvature and the still-uncertain mechanisms governing red-blood-cell biconcave shape.