# Key Points from IRC Discussions on Technology and Communication

• Participants shared and discussed scientific papers on biochemistry topics including thymidine retention in DNA, HCl hydrolysis, and nucleotide chemistry, while recommending accessible educational resources like "The Manga Guide to Biochemistry" and "The Cartoon Guide to Genetics."

• A technical critique of Planetary Resources' Arkyd space telescope project highlighted that small 8-inch telescopes wouldn't gain significant advantages from being in space due to fundamental diffraction limits.

• Detailed analysis of free-space optical communication using lasers with 3mrad divergence was presented, calculating approximately 57.6 decibels of intensity gain, with specific discussion of 1550nm diode lasers that are both eye-safe and used in fiber optic systems.

• Participants compared optical and radio communication for mesh networks, noting that while optical requires perfect line of sight and is weather-dependent, it can be cost-effective compared to cable installation.

• Technical discussion of radio communication revealed that parabolic dishes with +25-35dB gain can enable point-to-point connections over tens of miles using consumer WiFi equipment, with detailed explanation of FCC regulations on Effective Radiated Power limits.

• Software Defined Radio (SDR) was discussed as a flexible alternative to custom RF ASICs, with participants noting that transmit/receive capable SDRs are available for a few hundred dollars.

• Virtualization tools were evaluated, with Vagrant described as "an amazing tool built on top of the worst hypervisor ever created," prompting some participants to recommend KVM or LXC alternatives instead.