# Key Points from #hplusroadmap IRC Discussion

• Participants discussed open-source FPGA development, specifically the IceStorm technology and J1a SwapForth implementation, alongside Intel's release of an MKL-enhanced Python distribution that improves numpy and scipy performance for scientific computing.

• The conversation explored consciousness theories, including the hypothesis that each brain hemisphere may be independently conscious, and debates about whether consciousness requires quantum processes that would make mind uploading or copying impossible.

• Members shared personal experiences with alternative sleep patterns and supplements, with one user reporting unsuccessful attempts at polyphasic sleep (4 hours awake, 30 minutes sleep) while another managed with 6.5 hours using melatonin and ZMA supplements.

• A significant debate occurred around electromagnetic sensitivity claims, with most participants dismissing it as pseudoscience while discussing legitimate research on biological radio and whether neurons might have quantum communication capabilities.

• The group examined the Flynn effect, noting that despite popular perception of declining intelligence, IQ scores weighted against constant standards have actually risen with each generation, though memory skills may be shifting to digital "prosthetics."

• SpaceX's successful rocket landing mission was celebrated, with participants sharing YouTube video links of the achievement, highlighting the group's interest in technological breakthroughs beyond human enhancement.

• Philosophical discussions included multiverse theory, quantum immortality, and whether our reality might function like a dream state, with some participants suggesting the apparent effectiveness of positive thinking indicates we might exist in a dream-like universe.