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Feedback: How many ducks in a row?

Feedback is our weekly column of bizarre stories, implausible advertising claims, confusing instructions and more

31 December 2013

New Scientist. Science news and long reads from expert journalists, covering developments in science, technology, health and the environment on the website and the magazine.

(Image: Paul McDevitt)

How many ducks in a row?

NEW technology may require, or at least inspire, new units. Thus Samuel Merchant proposes that “the ‘duck’ now seems to be the unit of choice for 3D printing costs”. He sends a selfie taken at last year’s exhibition “The Future is Here” at London’s Design Museum, next to a graph showing that 3D printing of plastic bath ducks was cheaper than injection-moulding for runs of 400 ducks or fewer. By coincidence, Samuel was wearing a duck T-shirt.

Feedback looks forward to seeing a 3D printer large enough to churn out blue…

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