- A DIY “invisibility shield” project was shared, consisting of a stack of lenticular lens sheets that bend light around an object; links to an Imgur build gallery and a YouTube demonstration were posted.  
- Discussion of flat ferrite-core DC-DC converters: the UEI30 module uses a 2–3-turn PCB trace winding on one side and a single-turn winding on the other, with ferrite slabs epoxied or screwed on top to complete the magnetic path.  
- Josiah Zayner’s blog post “I made a COVID-19 vaccine in my kitchen and it worked – science still sucks” was circulated; participants debated whether elite science is “classist” and whether personal income undermines such critiques.  
- A CDC chart of leading causes of death by age group (2018) was linked, providing a data-driven backdrop for health/longevity discussions.  
- Side debates touched on the economic barriers to PhD programs, the signaling value of academic credentials in industry, and the broader systemic constraints on open, independent science.