But the 3-D scanners and printers that occupy the Smithsonian's 3D digitization lab in Landover, Maryland, come as something of a surprise.

One of the scanners is about the size of a toaster and is mounted on a tripod. A rotating mirror occupies a U-shaped cutout on top, so the machine can bounce a laser beam that can scan a room or cave. Another scanner resembles a robotic arm attached to a support base. Both look like they'd be more at home in a movie effects studio or NASA laboratory.

But the scanners have become a key part of the Smithsonian's quest to better understand the past. Researchers are using the 3-D scans and prints to study some of the world's