- A new enzymatic method for producing gene-length single-stranded DNA was highlighted (bioRxiv 200550), alongside patents from Mark Bathe covering lattice-free 3-D nucleic-acid junction design and Bayesian single-particle tracking tools.  
- Discussion of semisynthetic organisms that stably incorporate an expanded six-letter genetic alphabet (PNAS 114:1317) was linked to long-term goals of orthogonal biochemistry and safer GMO biocontainment.  
- Ultra-deep sequencing of Drosophila Dscam splice isoforms (circularization-assisted multi-segment sequencing) and the “splice code” governing neurexin–neuroligin trans-synaptic adhesion were cited as model systems for understanding combinatorial molecular diversity.  
- A speculative bioengineering scenario was debated: engineering sperm to spoof paternity tests by altering Y-chromosome or microsatellite signatures, raising legal, forensic, and social consequences similar to France’s paternity-test restrictions.  
- Quantum-entanglement papers were shared: experimental certification of millions of entangled atoms in a solid (arXiv 1703.04704) and genuine 3-photon entanglement from positronium decay (arXiv 1706.06505).  
- Hardware notes included the open-source Rv8 RISC-V-to-x86 binary translator (CARRV 2017) and Boston Dynamics’ latest TED-talk overview of dynamic legged robots.  
- Links to curated sci-fi short-film collections (DUST channel, “Nano”) were offered as cultural probes into near-future nanomedicine and human-genome augmentation narratives.  
- A pointer to the EFF critique of Deputy Attorney General Rosenstein’s “responsible encryption” proposal framed ongoing policy battles over backdoors and secure communications.  
- Elon Musk’s BFR AMA on Reddit was circulated for details on next-generation launch costs, Mars transit architecture, and point-to-point Earth transport.  
- Practical lab automation was showcased via magnetic microrobots for single-cell biomanipulation (IJRR 0278364912472381), illustrating convergence of robotics and synthetic biology.