# Summary of IRC Log Discussion

• A DIY scanning tunneling microscope (STM) project was discussed, with links shared to the SXM project (http://sxm4.uni-muenster.de/stm%2Den/) and John Alexander's design (http://www.geocities.com/spm_stm/), noting the SXM project was more expensive.

• The group discussed building a laser cutter, debating between a 100W 808nm laser brick (requiring power supply, optics, box, control hardware) versus a fiber-based laser that would require fewer optical components.

• Bpython was demonstrated as a Python development tool, with code examples shared showing its capabilities for interactive development and buffer saving.

• Several DIY hardware projects were mentioned, including a RepRap 3D printer and a particle simulator (with a screenshot shared).

• The conversation touched on using microwaves to melt moon dust as a potential method for creating building materials on the moon.

• A graph theory problem was discussed regarding detecting whether a graph contains disconnected components ("islands"), with suggestions for traversal algorithms to identify isolated nodes.

• The group shared code for finding cycles in graphs, with implementation challenges around detecting duplicate paths.