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posted by LaminatorX on Thursday March 13 2014, @03:54AM   Printer-friendly
from the their-customs-are-strange-to-me dept.

EvilJim writes :

"New Zealand Customs recently released a report stating guns, drugs and gems could soon be printed in your living room: http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/news/9768343/ Printers-capable-of-making-guns
Fortunately some experts have voiced their opinion on this report with some more down to earth thinking: http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/news/9773172/ No-smoking-gun-with-3-D-printers-experts-say
When will government get a handle on this technology and stop all the FUD? ever?"

 
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  • (Score: 3, Funny) by WhangaDan on Thursday March 13 2014, @04:13AM

    by WhangaDan (3813) on Thursday March 13 2014, @04:13AM (#15681)

    F**k you yes I would!

    • (Score: 3, Informative) by davester666 on Thursday March 13 2014, @04:18AM

      by davester666 (155) on Thursday March 13 2014, @04:18AM (#15684)

      Everybody see's how well America's biggest FUD campaign has been going for more than 10 years, namely the war on terror. If it works that well in America, it will work that well everywhere.

  • (Score: 5, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday March 13 2014, @04:20AM

    by Anonymous Coward on Thursday March 13 2014, @04:20AM (#15685)

    *FACE PALM* Is so hard with this one. Tomorrow I'm gonna buy myself a 3D printer, and 3d print myself a spaceship... it's time to leave this planet. The inhabitants are too fuckin dumb. It is doomed.

    • (Score: 3, Funny) by EvilJim on Thursday March 13 2014, @04:45AM

      by EvilJim (2501) on Thursday March 13 2014, @04:45AM (#15701) Journal

      too right, my face and palm have reached a singularity.

  • (Score: 5, Insightful) by clone141166 on Thursday March 13 2014, @04:50AM

    by clone141166 (59) on Thursday March 13 2014, @04:50AM (#15703)

    Can it print intelligence though? Sure seems like it is short supply these days.

    • (Score: 3, Insightful) by bogibear on Thursday March 13 2014, @05:05AM

      by bogibear (475) on Thursday March 13 2014, @05:05AM (#15708)

      Nope. It won't print out common sense either.

      --
      The world's cumulative IQ is a constant. The population is growing.
  • (Score: 1, Insightful) by takyon on Thursday March 13 2014, @05:31AM

    by takyon (881) <{takyon} {at} {soylentnews.org}> on Thursday March 13 2014, @05:31AM (#15715) Journal

    "Three-dimensional printers can already make guns, and may soon allow people to create gold, gems, food or drugs in their living rooms, the Customs Service has warned."

    Sounds great. I can't wait.

    While all that may be possible in 10-50 years, how is your 3D printer going to make gold without some kind of fission reactor?

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    • (Score: 2, Funny) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday March 13 2014, @06:07AM

      by Anonymous Coward on Thursday March 13 2014, @06:07AM (#15733)

      With alchemy of course!

    • (Score: 1, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday March 13 2014, @06:53AM

      by Anonymous Coward on Thursday March 13 2014, @06:53AM (#15747)

      While all that may be possible in 10-50 years, how is your 3D printer going to make gold without some kind of fission reactor?

      Fusion, not fission! Of course first you will need complete fission then print the electrons, neutrons, protons etc till you produce the gold item you want. Need fully cyclical E=MC^2. The printing side will be more like fusion though.

      Remember the visual effects on replicators?

    • (Score: 2, Funny) by The Grim Reefer on Thursday March 13 2014, @07:14PM

      by The Grim Reefer (1451) on Thursday March 13 2014, @07:14PM (#16048)

      how is your 3D printer going to make gold without some kind of fission reactor?

      You 3D print the fission reactor first. They left that out of the report out of fear of making it too easy. I'm sure the TSA has a report claiming terrorists can print plutonium for a dirty bomb too.

    • (Score: 1) by beckett on Friday March 14 2014, @04:51AM

      by beckett (1115) on Friday March 14 2014, @04:51AM (#16180)

      how is your 3D printer going to make gold without some kind of fission reactor?

      you just load the 3d printer with a spool of gold wire.

  • (Score: 3, Informative) by istartedi on Thursday March 13 2014, @06:04AM

    by istartedi (123) on Thursday March 13 2014, @06:04AM (#15731) Journal

    [citation needed] Stuff.co.nz looks like a tabloid. Some of their other headlines:

    Man charged in assault on baby

    Miley's tongue taken to court

    and...

    I'm naked - now you see me

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    • (Score: 1) by Adrian Harvey on Thursday March 13 2014, @03:21PM

      by Adrian Harvey (222) on Thursday March 13 2014, @03:21PM (#15910)

      Stuff isn't really a tabloid. It's an aggregate feed of several of the major newspapers in New Zealand. It used to be really good. Unfortunately over the last couple of years they've been adding more and more user contributed stories - unmoderated and of really variable quality - in an attempt to get into the social media style of doing things. It made Facebook a lot of money so must be good , right?

      So I quit visiting Stuff directly. I only go there via google news now. That way I know it's a real story as it's been reported by other sources too.

  • (Score: 1, Insightful) by crutchy on Thursday March 13 2014, @06:49AM

    by crutchy (179) on Thursday March 13 2014, @06:49AM (#15745) Homepage Journal

    whilst there is obviously media license in this story, 3d printed guns are already a reality (giyf) and 3d printing technology is really only limited by materials which are always improving.

    not sure about "making" drugs with 3d printers, but no doubt 3d printing will add yet another dimension to drug smuggling aids.

    regarding gems, i guess if a printer comes out in (distant) future with high temperature and pressure capacities it might become possible to print cubic zirconia.

    • (Score: 2, Interesting) by suxen on Thursday March 13 2014, @08:46AM

      by suxen (3225) on Thursday March 13 2014, @08:46AM (#15765)

      3D printed guns are often as much of a danger to their user as the target.

      Here in the third world, we have been making pipe guns for years using shit you can find lying around.

      Being able to obtain a firearm without having to purchase or license it is hardly revolutionary.

      Now days you 'murkins think everything has to be manufactured in a factory. Back in the day it was standard practice to collect used slugs so they can be melted back down into bullets.

    • (Score: 1) by Aiwendil on Thursday March 13 2014, @04:04PM

      by Aiwendil (531) on Thursday March 13 2014, @04:04PM (#15936) Journal

      Is there anything other than cost that actually stops one from modifying a synthetic-diamonds-via-laser-setup into a 3d-printer for diamonds?

      I means, since we already make synthetic diamonds by a method that basically is lasers pointed at substrate in a methane and hydrogen-mixture.

      • (Score: 0) by crutchy on Thursday March 13 2014, @08:47PM

        by crutchy (179) on Thursday March 13 2014, @08:47PM (#16079) Homepage Journal

        i'm not familiar with how cubic zirconia is manufactured, but i was under the impression that temperature and pressure were involved (basically the natural process but sped up in a lab) but you might be right.

        3d printing is a disruptive technology, and we don't yet know of it's full potential.
        people will find new weird and wonderful applications that we can't even imagine today.

  • (Score: 4, Informative) by dublet on Thursday March 13 2014, @07:39AM

    by dublet (2994) on Thursday March 13 2014, @07:39AM (#15754)

    in the UK, surgeons are using 3D printing to make custom implants to improve facial reconstruction: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-26534408 [bbc.co.uk]

  • (Score: 3, Funny) by wantkitteh on Thursday March 13 2014, @09:39AM

    by wantkitteh (3362) on Thursday March 13 2014, @09:39AM (#15773) Homepage Journal

    Have RepRap made some incredible breakthrough in the field of Alchemy?

    I'm trying to think of a quick way to explain the concept to a normal person without referring to the T-1000....

  • (Score: 3, Insightful) by Geotti on Thursday March 13 2014, @11:16AM

    by Geotti (1146) on Thursday March 13 2014, @11:16AM (#15798) Journal

    When will government get a handle on this technology and stop all the FUD? ever?"

    Simple, as soon as there's a lobby behind it.

    • (Score: 2) by Blackmoore on Thursday March 13 2014, @03:58PM

      by Blackmoore (57) on Thursday March 13 2014, @03:58PM (#15928) Journal

      If anything, never. you will always have a pro-DRM lobby who are going to try their damnedest to nip this technology before it makes them obsolete.