- Microwave sterilization was debated: participants noted that while microwaves can superheat liquids and kill pathogens, uneven heating and cold spots remain a major limitation compared with autoclaving.  
- Cody’sLab experiment cited: a (now removed) YouTube video reportedly showed fruit flies surviving microwave exposure, attributed to their size being smaller than the 2.45 GHz wavelength, whereas larger insects did not; the group questioned whether size alone explains differential absorption.  
- Practical sterilization ideas floated: members wondered whether microwave energy could be adapted for rapid air sterilization, but conceded that air’s low absorption cross-section would likely make heating too slow.  
- Tongue-based human-machine interfaces discussed: CaptHindsight asked about the latest non-surgical methods for retraining nerves to control prosthetic hands and shared a 2016 paper demonstrating a tongue-control system that enables fine robotic-hand manipulation without implants.  
- Bioengineering highlight: emeraldgreen linked to a 2010 study in which researchers engineered a novel mu-opioid receptor variant in mice, yielding a custom ligand-response profile—an example of receptor engineering for future pain-control or enhancement applications.