Hermit Crabs Need You To 3-D Print New Shells For Them
3-D Printed Hermit Crab Shells via MakerbotOr so says Makerbot Even hermit crabs aren't immune to swings in their own ecological economies. A global shortage of shells is leaving the entire species short on housing, and the DIY design community over at Makerbot isn't having it. Stepping in to bring shelter to the shell-less, Makerbot has launched Project Shellter along with artist in residence Miles Lightwood to crowdsource new shell designs that can be fabricated on Makerbot's 3-D printers. Hermit crabs, as many a child could tell you, are not born with shells on their backs. They have to scavenge for suitable housing, which they usually find in a shell. But the current shell shortage has them turning to all kinds of alternatives that are less than ideal. Per Bre Pettis over on the Makerbot blog: "With a shell shortage, hermit crabs around the world are being forced to stick their...