- A new “nanoelectronic thread (NET)” probe is reported to integrate with neural tissue without forming glial scars, offering a path to long-term, high-density brain–computer interfaces (Science Advances 2017; DOI:10.1126/sciadv.1601966).  
- Agilent released a short video explaining its inkjet-based DNA synthesis platform, illustrating how microarray-style printing can be used for on-demand oligo production.  
- A Cell paper shows that CRISPR knockout of the orco gene in the clonal raider ant Ooceraea biroi abolishes nearly all ~500 antennal-lobe glomeruli and eliminates pheromone-based social behavior, demonstrating that odorant-receptor function is required for the anatomical development of the ant olfactory system.  
- A $45 million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to the RIPE project (University of Illinois) was announced to engineer crops with improved photosynthetic efficiency.  
- Participants discussed the need for on-chip ATP regeneration to power enzymatic DNA-processing reactions—possible routes include electrochemical ATP synthesis or in-situ glucose-powered kinase systems.  
- Intel and independent studios are experimenting with feature-length VR cinema; examples cited include the scent-infused “Le Musk” and the abstract music experience “Fantasynth.”  
- A preprint-policy update noted that virtually all major commercial publishers now allow manuscripts to be posted on bioRxiv before peer review, accelerating open-access dissemination of biomedical research.  
- An ethology paper describes a newly discovered high-density octopus settlement (“Octopus tetricus”) exhibiting complex social interactions, informally dubbed an “octopus city.”