How do people show their fondness of information?

We complain about our oversupply of information. We treasure it nonetheless. We aren’t shutting down our e-mail addresses. On the contrary, we’re buying pocket computers and cellular modems and mobile phones with tiny message screens to make sure that we can log in from the beaches and mountaintops. These devices are fed by our ever-growing militia of information carriers.

From medicine to fashion, 3-D scanning is also taking off in a variety of other fields. A growing number of plastic surgeons and other doctors use scanners for planning procedures and surgery. And a firm called Stratasys uses scanners and 3-D printers to create orthodontic devices like retainers. In many major cities, you can also find companies that employ these tools to make customized clothing — no tailor necessary.