# Key Points from Transhumanist IRC Discussions

• A novel funding model using penny auctions for lab equipment was discussed, though participants recognized most penny auctions operate as scams rather than legitimate funding mechanisms.

• ParahSailin shared insights about bioinformatics hiring practices, noting that domain knowledge in molecular biology can be more valuable than formal computer science training when applying to genomics companies.

• Participants discussed technical approaches to brain preservation and imaging, including optical technologies for capturing fluorescent signals from entire brains rather than single neurons.

• Kanzure mentioned creating a comprehensive database of academic journals, estimating approximately 40,000 journals from about 20 major publishers need cataloging—representing an important open science infrastructure project.

• A philosophical discussion explored the computational requirements for mind simulation across possible universes, with strangewarp suggesting that minds are likely to be resimulated if the total computational power across all possible universes exceeds the requirements for simulating all possible minds.

• The conversation revealed connections between academic research and commercial biotech, noting that George Church (prominent geneticist) sits on Sigma Aldrich's board of directors.