• A new generation of engineered adeno-associated viral vectors (AAVs) enables efficient, non-invasive gene delivery to both the central and peripheral nervous systems, as reported in Nature Neuroscience (Gradinaru lab).  
• A light- and calcium-gated transcription factor (CaMPARI-style) now allows real-time imaging and optogenetic control of activated neurons, described in Nature Biotechnology.  
• Community efforts have driven electroporation hardware to “quick, high-yield, commodity-priced” status; a detailed build guide and cost analysis are available at blog.kitmatic.com.  
• Zero-knowledge contingent payment protocols for certificate-revocation proofs were discussed on the bitcoin-wizards mailing list as a way to incentivize disclosure of compromised TLS certificates without revealing private keys.  
• A Raspberry Pi–based ultrasound development kit with an on-board 20 MSPS ADC is under construction (kelu124, Hackaday.io) to lower the barrier to open-source medical imaging.  
• Google’s use of C++ templates for high-level synthesis (HLS) to generate RTL was highlighted as a practical route for hardware acceleration of neural or cryptographic kernels.  
• Concern was raised that SENS Foundation activities might be drifting toward legally risky territory; kanzure agreed to send Aubrey de Grey a cautionary note.  
• KordingLab proposed a community brainstorming session on “developments in neuroscience that give us hope,” framing it as a map of partial solutions behind currently closed doors.