# Key Points from IRC Log

• A discussion about optical workbenches revealed that granite is preferred over plastic or metal for precision optics due to its much lower thermal coefficient of expansion (two orders of magnitude smaller than plastic) and higher Young's modulus, with xentrac noting that cellulose-based materials can swell by approximately 100 μm per percent relative humidity change.

• Abetusk shared videos about hydrophobic coating for the OpenDrop digital microfluidics platform, which uses electrowetting-on-dielectric technology for lab-on-a-chip applications.

• Kanzure mentioned Pherecydes Pharma and the Phagoburn project, which focus on bacteriophage research for treating bacterial infections, particularly relevant as an alternative to antibiotics.

• A fast-growing bacterium called Vibrio natriegens was highlighted for its remarkable 10-minute doubling time, making it potentially valuable for biotechnology applications where E. coli is currently used.

• A tissue-engineered soft robot that swims like a stingray was shared, featuring optogenetically engineered rat heart cells laminated to a gold sheet that acts as a spring and coated with silicone, allowing it to swim when pulsed with light.

• Dip Pen Lithography (DPN) was discussed, noting its unique force independence characteristic where the same feature size will be patterned regardless of how hard the tip presses against the surface, eliminating the need for complex feedback electronics.

• Kanzure shared Bitcoin FIBRE (Fast Internet Bitcoin Relay Engine), a protocol designed to minimize block propagation times in the Bitcoin network, along with an article about relay networks.