- Recent Mach-effect thruster (MEGA drive) experiments reportedly achieved ~100 µN of thrust after switching to stiffer piezo-stack mounts and driving at resonance; the thrust appears only briefly as the stack heats and the resonance drifts, so a “special amplifier” is needed to track the shifting frequency in real time.  
- Participants debated whether the observed thrust is new physics or simply unaccepted mainstream physics, noting that the effect is not easily explained by interaction with Earth’s magnetic field and that replication remains problematic.  
- James Woodward’s book “Making Starships and Stargates: The Science of Interstellar Transport and Absurdly Benign Wormholes” was highlighted as the primary theoretical source for the Mach-effect approach to propellantless propulsion.  
- A short video clip (tweeted by D. Oberhaus) shows the test article lurching forward ~0.5 mm—two to three orders of magnitude larger displacement than earlier runs—offered as visual evidence of the claimed thrust.  
- Discussion pivoted to historical parallels, including the Michelson-Morley interferometer, the concept of a “luminiferous ether,” and how modern gravitational-wave detectors use the same interferometric principle, suggesting that negative results can still leave conceptual room for alternative frameworks.  
- Neuralink internship applications were mentioned, alongside criticism that the field of neural implants remains “super immature”; a link to an early-2000s archive of DIY implant papers was provided as evidence of slow progress.  
- Recent policy pieces from Nature and New Scientist were shared, noting that an influential panel still deems CRISPR babies too risky, while a Russian biologist continues to pursue the goal regardless.  
- Anders Sandberg’s essay “What Kinds of Grand Futures Are There?” was referenced as a quick overview of long-term transhumanist scenarios, with participants looking for a more comprehensive book-length treatment.