# Key Points from Transhumanist IRC Discussion

• Researchers are developing "repurposing the ribosome for synthetic biology" techniques to create synthetic polymers with perfect sequence control, potentially enabling applications in nanoscale self-assembly, electromagnetic interference shielding, and anticorrosion coatings.

• Advanced neural imaging technologies are evolving rapidly, including expansion microscopy (ExM) which physically expands tissue samples to achieve super-resolution imaging on conventional microscopes, and a "reversible cryo-arrest" technique that temporarily freezes cells for high-resolution imaging without killing them.

• Novel approaches for neural circuit mapping were discussed, including MAPseq and GESTALT, which use DNA/RNA barcoding to trace neural connections and cell lineages, alongside a new fiber-optic architecture for neural recording that can transduce electrical signals into optical readout with high sensitivity.

• A study on avian neuroscience revealed that corvids and parrots achieve impressive cognitive abilities with small brains by having primate-like neuron numbers in their forebrains, with higher neuronal density than mammals.

• Researchers are developing precise CRISPR/Cas9 targeting methods capable of discriminating between sites differing by a single nucleotide, enabling applications like mutation prevention systems.

• A paper titled "Could a neuroscientist understand a microprocessor?" was discussed, suggesting current neuroscience data analysis methods may be insufficient for meaningfully modeling brain function.

• Privacy and communication technologies were shared, including "Riffle" (a new anonymity system from MIT) and a mesh network project designed to bypass censorship like China's Great Firewall.