# Key Points from IRC Log (October 17, 2016)

* Research on assisted reproduction suggests that women over 40 using assisted reproduction techniques have fewer birth defects compared to natural conception at the same age, challenging assumptions about maternal age as the primary factor in birth defects.

* NASA documentation on space habitats for breeding rodents was shared, including details about the ISS Rodent Habitat with a maximum duration of 30 days for experiments.

* A collection of award-winning microscopy images from 2016 was shared, showcasing advanced visualization techniques in scientific imaging.

* An article reviewing both new and traditional techniques in modern neuroscience was discussed, highlighting the evolving methodological landscape in brain research.

* A paper titled "Automatically tracking neurons in a moving and deforming brain" was shared, describing a new approach called Neuron Registration Vector Encoding that successfully tracked 150 neurons in freely moving C. elegans for 8 minutes.

* Information about Blender's implementation of OpenSubdiv was shared, referencing the 3D modeling software's adoption of this advanced subdivision surface technology.