# Key Points from Transhumanist IRC Discussions

• Participants explored the glymphatic system, a brain cleaning mechanism managed by glial cells that functions similarly to the lymphatic system, highlighting the importance of sleep for brain maintenance.

• Self-replicating nanotechnology for space applications was discussed, referencing Toth-Fejel's proposal and DNA origami techniques for assembling tiny electrical components, with some noting that Philip K. Dick's "Autofac" predated von Neumann's formal work on self-reproducing automata.

• The conversation analyzed asteroid mining challenges in detail, including granular mechanics in microgravity, the Brazil nut effect, and the Mond process for separating platinum from nickel-iron asteroids, which could potentially enable 3D printing in space.

• Biological technology was a focus, with discussions of the "Opentrons" Kickstarter for open-source biology tools, moss (Physcomitrella patens) as a bioreactor system for pharmaceutical protein production, and engineered coiled-coil protein microfibers.

• Anti-aging interventions were examined, including caloric restriction, intermittent fasting, and mitochondrial antioxidants (particularly SS-31 peptides), with speculation about oxidative stress in relation to ischemia reperfusion injury.

• Advanced imaging and fabrication techniques were discussed, including electron beam deposition for creating free-standing 3D nanostructures, and the differences between Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy (STEM) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) for atomic-level imaging.

• A Royal Society paper on "Homological scaffolds of brain functional networks" was shared, examining how psilocybin affects brain connectivity while maintaining organizational features rather than becoming random.