• A DIY laser-etching rig for micro-fabrication is documented at http://diyhpl.us/laser_etcher/laser_etcher/, aimed at open-source bio-hardware prototyping.

• A blog post on low-cost, high-yield electroporation (https://blog.kitmatic.com/2017/06/28/electroporation-is-now-quick-high-yield-and-commodity-priced/) was shared as a practical route to non-viral gene delivery for garage labs.

• A new mouse study (“A genetic system for biasing the sex ratio in mice,” EMBO Reports 2019) was highlighted as a step toward programmable population-level genetic interventions.

• Functional human hair follicles have been grown from iPSC-derived dermal papilla cells; participants debated the safety of using pluripotent cells and noted that follicle thickness/length can be tuned by the number of transplanted cells (links: MedicalXpress coverage and interview with Dr. Alexey Terskikh).

• Kenneth Hayworth’s tweet-thread and linked OSF preprint (https://osf.io/8zd4e) were discussed as evidence that ASC (aldehyde-stabilized cryopreservation) preserves synaptic connectivity, shifting the debate from “textbook skepticism” to “textbooks may be wrong.”

• A 1968 paper on “Behavior of the rat after removal of the neocortex and hippocampal formation” (PMID 564358) was circulated for insights into minimal substrates for mammalian behavior.

• The book “Cortical Circuitry” (http://www.corticalcircuitry.com/) was recommended as a resource for understanding neocortical micro-architecture relevant to brain emulation and BCI work.

• A request was made for a transcript of Lex Fridman’s interview with Jeff Hawkins, indicating interest in Hawkins’ theories of cortical computation and intelligence.