Del océano al verso. Las caracolas de Pablo Neruda

For more than 70 years, this collection has been subject to diverse processes of valorization, including exhibition and printed publications. Nevertheless, the 21st century has brought a series of technological innovations that opened thrilling possibilities for the conservation, study, and communication of these collections. Considering the frailty of these pieces, it’s vital to multiply the possibilities of its safekeeping using new technologies while also amplifying the lifespan of this heritage. In this sense, there was an outstanding experience with 3D printing with biomaterials generated by the FABLAB (Manufacturing Laboratory) of Universidad de Chile’s Facultad de Ciencias Físicas y Matemáticas, offering the possibility of creating physical replicas of the collection’s specimens using discarded organic materials. These replicas can be used with educational purposes in tactile exhibitions, as institutional gifts and as inclusive material for people to access them using all of their senses. Regarding educational purposes, the possibilities offered by 3D bioprinting connect with present day technological openings and recycling. Also, 3D bioprinting permits the creation of large scale models, something that can facilitate the study of complex morphological details. Such is the case of the 3D replica of the species Thatcheria mirabilis Angas, 1877, created using shell debris in the context of the inauguration of the exhibition Mollusca: Poesía de Caracolas (2024). The procedure of its making involved taking calcium carbonate, mixing it with alginate, a polysaccharide found on the cell walls of brown algae, resulting in a ceramic 100% based in biomass. To form its shape the technicians used molds, a 3D scan of the original shea shell and 3D printing. The result was a replica in which natural and 156 universidad de chile