Birds use their beaks to clean their feathers, defend themselves, build nests, and eat, so the consequences can be difficult, and even devastating, for a bird that's lost its beak. Many different types of birds, from toucans, eagles, and cranes to cockatoos, macaws, and pelicans have been able to survive thanks to 3D printed beaks. Now, a 27-year-old Abyssinian ground hornbill named Karl, who has spent the last five years at the Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute (better known as the National Zoo), is joining their ranks with his own 3D printed beak. Read more at 3DPrint.com: http://3dprint.com/186547/hornbill-3d-printed-beak/