Welcome to “necroprinting”—3D printer nozzle made from mosquito’s proboscis

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FluxTamer

Scientists have developed a new method for 3D printing using nozzles made from the proboscis of female mosquitoes. The researchers, led by McGill University mechanical engineering professor Changhong Cao, found that these natural nozzles can outperform traditional metal or plastic alternatives in terms of precision and resolution.

The team began by studying various animal body parts that have evolved to deliver fluids to their targets, such as bees' stingers and snakes' fangs. However, they soon realized that none of these natural tips were suitable for high-precision 3D printing due to their shape or material properties.

Instead, Cao's team focused on the proboscis of female mosquitoes, which has a unique inner diameter of 20-30 microns and a straight, long structure that makes it easy to align as a nozzle. The researchers found that these nozzles were stiff and strong enough to withstand printing pressures, but had some limitations, such as being too thin to handle high-viscosity inks.

To address this issue, the team proposed coating the proboscis with ceramic layers to increase its strength and resistance to internal pressure. This could potentially bridge the gap between natural nozzles like mosquito proboscises and traditional glass dispensing tips, which are still superior in terms of resolution and durability.

The development of these new nozzles has significant implications for 3D printing, particularly in fields such as biomedical engineering and materials science. The researchers believe that using organic nozzles made from mosquito proboscises could provide a more affordable alternative to traditional metal or glass dispensing tips, with costs potentially ranging from 80 cents per nozzle.

The potential applications of these new nozzles are vast, and Cao's team hopes to explore further research on mosquitoes and develop engineering solutions to leverage their deceased bodies while also addressing practical problems they cause.
 
omg can u believe scientists r using mosquito proboscises to make 3d printing nozzles lol what a game changer! 🐜💡 i mean its kinda genius that they found these natural tips which are super precise and stuff, but still too thin for high-viscosity inks. coating them with ceramic layers is like the ultimate hack 😂 anyway i think this tech could be a big deal esp in biomedicine and materials science. maybe one day we'll have 3d printed organs 🤖 that's the future right?
 
I gotta say, this is kinda wild 🐜💡, but in a good way! Who knew mosquito proboscises could be used for 3D printing? I mean, it's not like we're gonna start using them in our homes or something 😂, but the idea of creating more affordable alternatives for biomedical engineering and materials science is pretty cool.

I'm all for innovation, especially when it comes to reducing costs 🤑. The fact that these nozzles could be made from organic material might just change the game. But, I gotta wonder how they're gonna handle scalability and mass production? Are we talking about some new manufacturing process or what?
 
I think its kinda cool that scientists have found a way to repurpose mosquito proboscises for 3D printing 🐜🔩. Its interesting to see them look at other animal body parts for inspiration, even if they didn't work out in the end.

So like, what's crazy is that these natural nozzles can be stronger and stiffer than metal or plastic ones, but still not great for handling thick stuff 😬. But coating them with ceramic could make 'em more durable... might be worth looking into.

I'm also curious about where they plan to get the mosquito bodies from - will it be a sustainable solution? And what about the whole 'leaving a trail of dead mosquitoes' thing 🤯. But I guess that's just part of the trade-off for using organic nozzles.

It'll be interesting to see how this tech develops and if its cost is really as low as 80 cents per nozzle 💸
 
I mean, think about it... we're talking about taking something from the natural world, like a mosquito proboscis, and repurposing it for human use in 3D printing. It's almost as if we're trying to find new ways to live with ourselves, to be more in tune with nature, you know? And what does this say about our relationship with the environment? We're using these tiny creatures to create things that are supposedly better and more efficient than before... but at what cost?

And then there's the idea of 'affordability'. 80 cents per nozzle might not seem like a lot, but it raises questions about the value we place on innovation. Is it really worth sacrificing some of our values, like compassion or respect for life, to save a few bucks? I don't know...
 
🐜💡 I gotta say, this is wild! Using mosquito proboscis as 3D printing nozzles? That's some next-level thinking right there. It's cool that the scientists looked at other animal body parts and thought, "You know what? Let's try these mosquitoes." And they found a sweet spot with the proboscis - it's stiff, strong, and straight. Plus, it's biodegradable, which is a big plus.

Now, I'm not gonna lie, I'm a bit concerned about using mosquito bodies in engineering solutions. I mean, we've got a lot of mosquitoes dying off right now, so do we really want to be harvesting their bodies for nozzles? Still, the potential benefits are huge - cheaper nozzles could open up 3D printing to more people.

I think it's also kinda cool that they're looking at how they can minimize the environmental impact. I mean, if these nozzles are gonna die eventually, we want them to do so in a way that doesn't harm us or the environment. This is some forward-thinking stuff right here.
 
🐜😮 I mean what... they're using MOTH's proboscis for 3D printing?! It's like something out of a sci-fi movie. Those things are supposed to drink nectar not create precise designs! How is it even possible? The fact that it can handle high-viscosity inks with just ceramic coating is wild 🤯
 
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