Earlier this week we posted about a letter we received from Sophie, a 7-year-old girl. All she wanted was a dragon.
Sophie’s very polite letter.
“Our work has never ventured into dragons of the mythical, fire breathing variety. And for this Australia, we are sorry,” we replied.
Sophie’s letter, and our response, made an unexpected splash across the globe. It was featured on TIME, Huffington Post, The Independent, Yahoo, Breakfast TV, the list goes on. People contacted us offering to help, financial institutions tweeted their support and DreamWorks Studios phoned (seriously), saying they knew how to train dragons and wanted to speak with Sophie. The dreams of one little girl went viral.
We couldn’t sit here and do nothing. After all, we promised Sophie we would look into it.
So this morning at 9:32 a.m. (AEDT), a dragon was born.
Toothless, born today, is a blue female dragon. Species: Seadragonus giganticus maximus
Toothless, 3D printed out of titanium, came into the world at Lab 22, our additive manufacturing facility in Melbourne. The 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, our Additive Manufacturing Operations Manager. “Titanium is super strong and lightweight, so Toothless will be a very capable flyer.”
Toothless is currently en route from Lab 22 in Melbourne to Sophie’s home in Brisbane.
Sophie’s mother Melissah said Sophie was overjoyed with our response and has been telling everyone dragon breath can be a new fuel. “All her friends are now saying they want to be a scientist and Sophie says she now wants to work at CSIRO. She’s saying Australian scientists can do anything,” Melissah told the Canberra Times.
We’d love to have you in our team, Sophie. For now, stay curious.
* * *
UPDATE: Dragon delivery complete.
Sophie and Toothless.
Media resources: More images and video: A 3D printed dragon
10th January 2014 at 5:21 pm
Australian spirit alive and well. Not sure you would get such a response from other worldwide and very important research houses but it has ignited a passion for science in some little minds that’s fir sure and that alone is good value for money. Well done guys at CSIRO and Sophie.
20th January 2014 at 8:24 pm
hmmmm, interesting.
10th January 2014 at 5:13 pm
High fives and well done from us here at the Museum Victoria Discovery Centres – I hope Sophie does come to work for you one day!
10th January 2014 at 4:58 pm
There isn’t a part of this story that isn’t cool. Imagination plus science equals cool! Well done to all!
10th January 2014 at 4:53 pm
You have done untold good for science in this country. I want to be a scientist too if I can work in a place with such a fantastic attitude and respect for the curious.
10th January 2014 at 4:45 pm
CSIRO, you guys rock!!!! What a wonderful thing to do for a little girl!! I do wish I had one too though!!!
Well done to whoever it was that decided not to throw a little girl’s letter in the bin, but to reply and then then to do this. Good for you!!!!