Why adopt a pet from the pound when you can print out any kind of pet you want? Three-dimensional printing can make objects ranging from violins to pilotless aircraft, so why not a unique pet, designed especially for you.
The Economist writes: "The idea of printing organs such as kidneys for transplant has been around for several years. It works by growing separate cultures of individual cell types, and then spraying them out, layer by layer, in combination with a binding agent called a hydrogel, to build up the correct shape.
"Knowing how to print nerve cells, is the key to the whole thing. Size apart, a healthy heart, kidney or liver is pretty much the same in a retriever or a Rottweiler. Coat color, an important consideration for many owners, is easily dealt with by picking the right pattern of melanocyte cells in the skin. But an animal’s temperament is a very different matter."
And once you print out man’s best friend, take him to the office! A recent study found that dogs in the workplace may buffer the impact of stress during the workday for their owners and make the job more satisfying for those with whom they come into contact.
We love our dogs AND our cats, but it’s worth leaving them home for a few days in order to come to our wonderful Dreamland Festival, where you’ll make new friends and hear incredible information you’ve never heard before. But buy your tickets today–we really do sell out every year and you may not get a seat if you delay!
Subscribers, to watch the subscriber version of the video, first log in then click on Dreamland Subscriber-Only Video Podcast link.