Aces

Here’s further proof that science and scientists are awesome:

A 7-year-old girl named Sophie wrote a lovely letter to the scientists at CSIRO, Australia’s national science agency, politely asking if they could work on creating a dragon for her. She even included a drawing to help them out. (click here to read Sophie’s entire letter)

The scientists at CSIRO wrote back to Sophie:

We’ve been doing science since 1926 and we’re quite proud of what we have achieved. We’ve put polymer banknotes in your wallet, insect repellent on your limbs and Wi-Fi in your devices. But we’ve missed something. There are no dragons.

Over the past 87 odd years we have not been able to create a dragon or dragon eggs. We have sighted an eastern bearded dragon at one of our telescopes, observed dragonflies and even measured body temperatures of the mallee dragon. But our work has never ventured into dragons of the mythical, fire breathing variety. And for this Australia, we are sorry.

(click here to read the agency’s complete response)

But then something truly awesome happened. The scientists had a bit of a think, as scientists are wont to do, and decided to rapidly accelerate their Dragon R&D Program. That’s right, they made a dragon for Sophie - Toothless, a 3D printed titanium dragon, blue, female, species: Seadragonus giganticus maximus.

“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.

Now Sophie wants to work at CSIRO when she grows up.

Click here to watch a video of the creation of Sophie’s dragon.

In case you’re in need of motivation, have some from the Doctor.