Why STL Files and 3D Printing Are the Next Frontier in Academic Publishing

Abstract Traditional academic publishing relies on static formats that flatten three-dimensional and dynamic data into text, images, and tables, limiting transparency, reproducibility, and accessibility. STL (stereolithography) files, the standard for 3D printing, offer a transformative alternative by enabling readers to rotate, measure, and physically reproduce the very models used in research. Case applications in anatomy, […]