# Key Points from IRC Discussion

• Members of AISB (Association for the Study of Artificial Intelligence and Simulation of Behaviour) now receive personal subscriptions to the "Connection Science" journal from Taylor & Francis as part of their membership benefits.

• A substantive debate on cryonics preservation methods occurred, with participants discussing the merits of head-only versus whole-body preservation, including whether personal identity extends beyond the brain to include gut neurons, hormones, and physical embodiment.

• Participants referenced Aubrey de Grey's theory that "neuropatients" (head-only preservation) would likely be revived after procedures are perfected on whole-body patients, acknowledging the additional challenge of motor skill relearning when connecting preserved brains to new bodies.

• The group criticized Edge.org's "What Scientific Idea Is Ready For Retirement" collection for including questionable arguments against established scientific concepts like consciousness research and the search for a theory of everything.

• A technical debate about Bitcoin's proof-of-work system highlighted its purpose in securing decentralized consensus, with critics of "FoldingCoin" noting that protein folding calculations lack the specific cryptographic properties required for blockchain security (with reference to a technical paper: https://download.wpsoftware.net/bitcoin/alts.pdf).

• The discussion questioned the scientific productivity of distributed computing projects like Folding@Home, while also noting that OpenLab Blueprint (openlab-blueprint.org), a resource for community labs, has incomplete equipment recommendations that omit essential tools like spectrometers.