- A Nature Communications paper analyzing 300,486 individuals identified 148 independent genetic loci linked to general cognitive function, prompting discussion on the feasibility and ethics of cognitive enhancement via germline editing.  
- The DIYHPlusWiki was updated to reference the cognition-genes study, underscoring the community’s practice of curating primary research for open-source transhumanist reference.  
- Concerns were raised about privacy leaks in academic PDFs: ResearchGate notifications reveal when a specific user reads a paper, and embedded metadata can expose reader IP addresses and institutional identities; the tool pdfparanoia was recommended to strip such deanonymizing data.  
- Kevin Esvelt’s essay “When Are We Obligated to Edit Wild Creatures?” was circulated, framing gene drives as a moral imperative because “nature has no morality,” sparking debate on human-directed evolutionary selection.  
- A Catholic Register op-ed warning of a “slippery slope” in gene editing was shared, highlighting mainstream pushback against germline interventions and prompting channel participants to dismiss such calls as naïve.  
- The successful crowdfunding of the Atari VCS on Indiegogo—surpassing its goal within minutes—was noted as a pop-culture aside, with links to campaign images and discussion threads.  
- Aerogel.org was shared as a resource for ultra-lightweight materials research, relevant to future human augmentation hardware.