- Discussion of “simpler” routes to molecular nanotechnology: kanzure argues that ribosomes and existing biological machinery already constitute a functional stepping-stone toward programmable molecular assembly, making pure diamondoid mechanosynthesis less urgent.  
- Drexler’s recent blog posts and a 2009 archived article on high-performance polymers for nanosystems engineering (metamodern.com) were circulated as background reading.  
- AIM Photonics published transparent pricing for multi-project wafer runs: USD 30 k buys twenty 7.7 mm² photonics-grade chips, prompting debate about why such prototype runs remain so costly.  
- CaptHindsight and fenn debated cost drivers in small-scale fabs, citing MBA profit-first incentives and limited market volumes rather than technical complexity alone.  
- kanzure and yashgaroth scoped a bulk scrape of Addgene’s plasmid repository: decided to keep only GenBank (.gbk) files and DOI metadata, discarding SnapGene .dna files and low-value partial sequences; discovered AWS-signed image URLs expire quickly, complicating archival efforts.  
- Atmospheric CO₂ management brainstorm: fltrz proposed concentrating CO₂ inside large transparent balloons anchored in Antarctica to reduce radiative cross-section, then later liquefying or storing the gas; fenn noted the balloons would still intercept substantial IR from Earth unless shielded.  
- Side exploration of which photosynthetic organisms tolerate extreme CO₂ concentrations, with mention of ancient algae lineages and Firmicutes-like cave microbes as potential candidates.