• A Nature paper demonstrated unambiguous nanopore discrimination of all 20 canonical amino acids plus post-translational modifications, a key step toward single-molecule proteomics.  
• A new pre-print (“Click editing”) couples DNA polymerases with HUH endonucleases to achieve programmable, scar-less genome writing, expanding the synthetic-biology toolkit beyond CRISPR.  
• Two back-to-back studies identified and characterized “Fanzor,” the first programmable RNA-guided DNA endonuclease native to eukaryotes and their viruses, broadening the scope of RNA-directed genome editing.  
• Discussion of regulatory hurdles for DIY biologists: ATCC and similar repositories require USDA/APHIS permits, professional credentials, or even exams for many organisms; glowing GM petunias were cited as a rare example of an unregulated, commercially available transgenic plant.  
• Intel Hillsboro is recruiting EDA-software engineers with strong CS backgrounds and hobbyist fab interests; the internal stack uses gdstk and custom parametric APIs, and the team emphasizes work-life balance.  
• Channel members debated nutrient retention in home food preparation, noting that steaming soybeans preserves more micronutrients than boiling and that traditional alkaline treatments like nixtamalization intentionally discard the cooking liquor.  
• Participants floated the idea of a copyleft, open-access alternative to ATCC to democratize access to research-grade organisms, acknowledging the practical and legal obstacles to reproducibility.  
• Speculation arose about a future black-market demand for transgenic novelty pets, driven by consumer interest in engineered bioluminescence and other aesthetic traits.