- Laboratories are beginning to sell NFTs (non-fungible tokens) as an alternative or supplemental source of research funding, with early examples expected to include “first ever images of X down the microscope” NFTs.  
- NFTs are described as cryptographically protected certificates of ownership for digital assets; while the underlying media can be freely copied, the token itself is intended to act as a unique, tradable proof of authenticity.  
- Participants debated the practical value of NFTs, comparing them to digital trading cards and in-game item marketplaces (e.g., Steam) and questioning whether the blockchain overhead is justified outside contexts of corruption, inefficiency, or lack of trust.  
- Concerns were raised about the social trust required to believe that an NFT actually corresponds to a specific image or data file hosted on a website, highlighting the gap between cryptographic proof and real-world verification.  
- A participant teased a “revolutionary way of producing certificates without a blockchain,” suggesting ongoing interest in non-blockchain methods for attesting authenticity or ownership.