A 3D printed dragon

7-year-old Sophie wrote a letter to research scientists at CSIRO, Melbourne, asking for a 3D printed dragon. Her letter, and CSIRO’s response, made an unexpected splash across the globe. Researchers then got to work creating, Toothless, a dragon 3D printed out of titanium, in Lab 22, an additive manufacturing facility in Melbourne. Scientists there have printed some extraordinary things in the past—huge anatomically correct insects, biomedical implants, and aerospace parts. So they thought a dragon was achievable. “Being that electron beams were used to 3D print her, we are certainly glad she didn’t come out breathing them … instead of fire,” said Chad Henry, AM operations manager. “Titanium is super strong and lightweight, so Toothless will be a very capable flyer.” Toothless is currently en route to Sophie’s home in Brisbane.