The weight of the building is supported entirely by 12 stout outer columns, which form the square perimeter of the building, plus four inner columns at the corners of a smaller, inner square.

ECONOMIST: AN ENGINEERING MYSTERY

Stony corals are microscopic animals with an outer skeleton of calcium carbonate that form colonies and are responsible for reef-building.

UNESCO: L O S S A R Y

An inner clump of cells in the blastocyst goes on to form the embryo, while an outer layer goes on to make the placenta.

WSJ: Experiment Brings Human Cloning One Step Closer

Topped with rolls of barbed wire, it doubles up in places to form both an inner and an outer perimeter, with a strip of concrete in between for guards to patrol along.

NPR: North Korea Nuke Test Could Test China's Patience

The light from such giants blows away the outer gas and dust of their neighbours, leaving nothing to form planets.

ECONOMIST: Planetary formation

But the FORM 1 isn't just razzle-dazzle, underneath that outer shell is that self-developed technique for bringing stereolithography to the masses, and seeing it in action is as hypnotic as it is innovative.

ENGADGET: Formlabs FORM 1 high-resolution 3D printer spotted in the wild, we go eyes on (video)