From architecture to healthcare; we look at new ways in which 3D printing is helping society to progress
Credit: Institute for the Study of the Ancient World
1. The destruction of the Roman Arch of Triumph by Islamic State made headlines in 2015, but now we can marvel at a 3D-printed marble replica of the Syrian landmark. The Institute for Digital Archaeology created the model, which has been displayed in London and will visit New York and Dubai before being sent to Palmyra, the arch’s original location.
Credit: US National Institutes of Health
2. US doctors are creating 3D-printed replicas of children’s hearts to make planning surgery easier and operations safer. MRI or CT scans are transformed into 3D formats, so exact copies of the hearts can be printed out of plastic or rubber-like materials.
Credit: Precious Plastic
3. Dutch inventors have created machines that recycle plastic waste into new objects or raw materials through 3D printing. The Precious Plastic team do not sell the machines, but provide open-source designs, blueprints and instruction videos for anyone to use for free.
