# Key Points from #hplusroadmap IRC Discussions

• Participants explored auxetic materials (materials with negative Poisson's ratio that thicken when stretched), discussing applications in body armor, building materials, and energy absorption, with examples including graphene with vacancy defects and Gore-Tex.

• Research on neuron-targeted caveolin-1 was shared, highlighting how it enhances functional membrane lipid rafts in the hippocampus, potentially improving learning and memory with therapeutic implications.

• The group identified a need for better open-source brain visualization tools with features like region tagging and pathway highlighting for neuroanatomical research.

• Technical discussions covered CCD timing and ADC implementations for spectrograph design, comparing different approaches to signal processing and data acquisition for scientific instruments.

• Participants questioned why large protein complexes (20-30 proteins) aren't more common catalysts compared to single proteins, with diffusion constraints suggested as a possible limiting factor.

• The DRACOS broad-spectrum antiviral technology was critically evaluated through discussion of an Indiegogo campaign and related PLOS ONE research paper, demonstrating the channel's approach to assessing emerging biotechnologies.

• Astronomical visualization tools were shared, including a WebGL-based star visualization (http://stars.chromeexperiments.com/) and discussion of high-resolution Milky Way imagery.