This one seems about that size
Comment on Dead mosquito proboscis used for high-resolution 3D printing nozzle
jbloggs777@discuss.tchncs.de 3 weeks ago
Interesting fact: You can use an elephant’s trunk as a low-resolution 3D printing nozzle
brown567@sh.itjust.works 3 weeks ago
dellish@lemmy.world 3 weeks ago
Yes but does it have to be dead at the time?
I’m really not sure why they felt the need to point this out in the article.
crapwittyname@feddit.uk 3 weeks ago
Yes, the first attempts via the more obvious approach of using a live mosquito were a lot trickier, because the techniques required in persuading the mosquito to comply were outside of the specialist knowledge base of the team. That is, until one serendipitous moment when a heavy-handed researcher accidentally killed a mosquito whilst trying to attach it to a printer. The surprise and elation that must have resulted when they realised they could use mosquito husks must have been a sight to behold. The missing piece of the puzzle had finally fallen into place; some might say by Divine Providence. I daresay some of the project leads were kicking themselves! “It’s so simple! Dead mosquito proboscises! Dead! Why didn’t I think of that?!”, etc. But I think we should go easy on those people, we could all get a doctorate in the field of hindsight!
In the end, just like many discoveries before, penicillin, safety glasses, velcro etc., this breakthrough owes a lot to blind chance.crapwittyname@feddit.uk 3 weeks ago
Yes, the first attempts via the more obvious approach of using a live mosquito were a lot trickier, because the techniques involved in persuading the mosquito to comply were outside of the highly-specialised knowledgebase of the team. That is, until one serendipitous moment when one particularly heavy-handed researcher accidentally killed a mosquito whilst trying to attach it to a printer. The surprise and elation that must have resulted when they realised they could use mosquito husks was, surely a sight to behold. The missing piece of the puzzle had finally fallen into place. Some might even say… by Divine Providence, perhaps?
I daresay some of the project leads were kicking themselves nonetheless: “It’s so simple! Dead mosquito proboscises! Dead! Why didn’t I think of that?!”, etc. But I think we should go easy on them; we could all get a doctorate in the field of hindsight!
In the end, just like many discoveries before it: penicillin, safety glasses, velcro etc., this breakthrough simply owes a lot to blind chance.
kami@lemmy.dbzer0.com 3 weeks ago
More interesting facts: you can is a human penis as a medium-resolution 3D printing nozzle
GreenKnight23@lemmy.world 2 weeks ago
less interesting fact, my penis is a lower resolution than an elephant trunk.
Saber_is_dead@lemmy.world 2 weeks ago
humblebrag!
muusemuuse@sh.itjust.works 3 weeks ago
Ugh, my prostate is not going to make an entire benchy. Ow.