- Astron Aerospace’s 35-lb, 160-hp “mini-engine” and the Omega 1 rotary concept were discussed as potential powerplants for personal VTOL craft; participants debated bearing life, thermodynamic efficiency claims, apex-seal alternatives, and the practicality of ultra-high-RPM (>25 k) operation.  
- A Nature news article on extending research-animal protections to octopuses prompted sarcastic comparisons to the treatment of human lab workers and broader questions about species-specific ethical standards.  
- The University of Chicago’s “inverse vaccine” for multiple sclerosis and other autoimmune diseases was introduced; jrayhawk linked a Frontiers review and argued that while promising as a symptomatic fix, it ignores known low-cost etiological interventions such as vitamin-D optimization.  
- Avi Loeb’s Galileo Project and his claims about the interstellar meteor CNEOS 2014-01-08 sparked a heated exchange over scientific credibility, media sensationalism, and whether the search for extraterrestrial artifacts is being compromised by personality-driven narratives.  
- Sci-Hub’s stagnation since December 2020 (due to the India trial) was highlighted as a barrier to accessing recent paywalled literature; users recommended Anna’s Archive and LibGen’s scientific section as still-functional alternatives.  
- UK-based biohackers reported that pepsin—an inexpensive proteolytic enzyme useful for protein work—is effectively unavailable to individuals because educational suppliers restrict sales to certified institutions; U.S. vendors such as Carolina Biological were suggested, along with discussion of import regulations and safety data.  
- Participants analyzed the hazards of powdered pepsin, noting its proteolytic activity at neutral pH, potential for respiratory sensitization, and parallels to industrial meat-glue enzymes that cause severe lung damage.  
- A request for preservation advice for an unidentified biological sample (photos posted to Discord) appeared late in the log, but no technical recommendations were recorded.