• Participants discussed the blog sinceriously.fyi, describing it as a rationalist splinter group that has allegedly embraced “dark arts” tactics—reportedly using manipulative workshop techniques to recruit people into donating all income to AI-safety causes—and noted prior police involvement in related incidents.

• A 2016 CFAR workshop was characterized as a “cultish indoctrination” session in which psychological techniques were used to break down attendees’ resistance and steer them toward life-altering commitments to MIRI/CFAR; one participant who attended confirmed these practices.

• The conversation traced the idea of total-income donation to AI safety back to at least 2007 within the early Singularity Institute community, with anecdotes about living arrangements with key figures at that time.

• George Church’s claim of having identified “more than 40 genes that could benefit astronauts” was highlighted, prompting speculation about undisclosed genetic enhancements for space travel (New York Post article linked).

• Magnetoreception was proposed as a human enhancement target after learning that robins possess a magnetic compass in their eyes; human cryptochrome (CRY) was cited as a candidate gene because it exhibits light-dependent magnetosensitivity.

• Historical and folkloric beliefs about sleeping orientation (head north vs. south) were reviewed in light of possible magnetoreceptive effects on circadian rhythms, with calls for controlled experiments to test any physiological impact.