• ETH-Zürich researchers released a protocol for “Scalable funding of bitcoin micropayment channel networks,” promising near-instant, low-cost opening and topping-up of Lightning-style payment channels on Bitcoin.  
• Two complementary CRISPR-Cas9 visualization studies were highlighted: one used enhanced molecular-dynamics simulations to map the protein’s conformational activation pathway, while the other captured single-molecule DNA search and cleavage in real time via high-speed atomic-force microscopy.  
• A Nature paper showcased non-destructive 3-D imaging of integrated circuits at 14.6 nm resolution using synchrotron X-ray ptychography, enabling full reverse engineering without physical sectioning and projecting a 1,000× future speed-up.  
• Participants debated the design philosophy of text-based games and MUDs, contrasting the expressive command richness of classic MUDs with the limited binary choices of modern “text Skyrim” experiments.  
• Atomic-layer-deposition (ALD) equipment appeared on eBay at a $5 k asking price, sparking discussion on strategies for acquiring high-end nanofab gear on shoestring biohacker budgets.  
• fMRI-based “mind-reading” studies were circulated, including Gallant Lab’s reconstruction of visual experiences from brain activity and newer work decoding imagined images from voxel-wise encoding models.  
• Additional resources shared: a CRISPR-Cas9 simulation code repository, a podcast-editing tool that deletes audio by editing transcripts, dark-field microscopy tutorials, and fiction exploring “programming as magic” themes.