# Key Points from Transhumanist and Technology IRC Discussion

• A scientific paper on automated synthesis of organic molecules was shared, highlighting advances in chemical automation that could accelerate drug discovery and materials science research.

• Users discussed quantum mechanics, particularly Sean Carroll's work on the Born rule and self-locating uncertainty, debating the philosophical implications of quantum probability interpretations.

• The limitations of human-computer interfaces were analyzed, with participants suggesting that current keyboard designs fail to maximize information extraction from hand movements, with the theoretical upper limit being much higher than the current 10-15 keystrokes per second.

• A critical assessment of open source CAD tools revealed that OpenCascade (used by FreeCAD) suffers from maintainability issues due to its 5 million lines of poorly written code, while BRLCAD was recommended for complex designs involving 3D geometry and physical simulations.

• The discussion identified that implementing a proper NURBS kernel for CAD software requires PhD-level expertise and 2-3 years of dedicated work, representing the primary technical challenge for open source CAD development.

• Advances in electron cryo-microscopy (cryo-EM) were highlighted, noting how new direct electron detectors and statistical processing methods enable near-atomic resolution ribosome reconstructions with fewer particles than previously required.

• Participants debated scientific publishing reform, suggesting that philanthropic acquisition of major publishers like Elsevier could make academic papers freely available, though opinions differed on whether this approach would be most effective.