Can 3D laser scanning services help revive near-extinct species?

The Emerald Damselfly has been a rare sight in the United Kingdom since the early 1990s. Most of this damselfly’s habitat disappeared when agricultural farming practices changed. 3D laser scanning services may help bring back the Emerald Damselfly to its old habitats by using 3D scanners to record where it once lived, allowing scientists to replicate those habitats and save the species.

The 3D scanning services could be used to record fossilized eggs and fish that can then be studied to see how they lived.  3D scanning services could also be used to find the remains of ancient lakes that used to be habitats for these species. With any luck, 3D scanning services would be able to reconstruct the lakes and help restore them.

How 3D scanning works

3D scanning services work by using a 3D laser beam, radar beam, or lidar beam to measure the distance between the scanner and objects it is scanning. 3D scanners use sensors that detect a delay in reflected signals and then 3D scan software calculates the distance. 3D laser scan software then creates a 3D point cloud from those measurements, which can be turned into 3D models.

The benefits of using 3D laser scanning services

In 3D scanning, time is money. 3D scanning services are much more cost-effective than other 3D modeling techniques as there is no need for 3D modeling or animation software, 3D scanners themselves are easier to use than 3D modeling software, 3D scanners can quickly produce 3D models compared to 3D modeling software that may only be able to generate 3D images, 3D modelers or animators are not needed for 3D scanning services, and 3D scans take up less storage space.

Working with 3D scans to restore species

Once a 3D  scan is completed, 3D scan software can be used to project 3D models into their surroundings. 3D scanning services could then recreate the habitat of the Emerald Damselfly and other extinct species to restore them in their natural habitats. 

3D scans can also show scientists how these animals lived in relation to one another within specific ecosystems, which will help in the restoration process. In the future, scientists can  3D scan old fossils and 3D print them to study the species’ anatomy. 

3D scanning services can help 3D model extinct animals or 3D print them for scientists to analyze, which may give clues as to why they disappeared from their habitats.