# Key Points from IRC Discussions on Transhumanism and Neuroscience

- Researchers discussed confocal microscopy's resolution capabilities (50-150 nm), significantly surpassing conventional microscopy's 250 nm limit, with links shared to DIY scanning laser microscope projects like BluBeam that make advanced imaging more accessible.

- The Human Genome Project-Write initiative was extensively discussed, with project leaders seeking $250M to develop improved DNA synthesis and assembly technologies for creating synthetic genomes with applications in metabolism optimization and more deterministic biological systems.

- Participants debated approaches to immunotherapy, specifically whether to create "ghost cells" that avoid immune detection or develop libraries of cells compatible with different human HLA types, highlighting the technical challenges of synthetic immune cell development.

- A philosophical debate emerged on rational human design versus evolutionary adaptation, with some advocating for mechanical replacements of biological systems while others emphasized the value of existing genetic diversity in human populations.

- Multiple neuroanatomical studies were shared focusing on brain connectivity networks, including research on the precuneus region's role in verbal creative thinking and correlations between pathological narcissism and reduced cortical thickness in prefrontal brain regions.

- The development of specialized neuroscience resources like Ferretome.org was highlighted, demonstrating ongoing efforts to create comprehensive databases of brain connectivity and architectonic features across different species for evolutionary connectomics research.