Meet Buttercup, the duck with a foot from a 3D printer

Ready for the cutest thing you'll see today?

Buttercup the duck was born with his left foot turned backwards. So, once he was adopted by a software engineer, Mike, his new owner set about making him a new one.

Buttercup's brand new foot is made from a mold taken from his sister duck Minnie, modelled using computer design, and made at a cutting-edge 3D printing company.

After trying several different types of plastic out, Mike and his other helpers watched Buttercup walk normally for the first time on Sunday night.

Not only did it work, but Buttercup was even able to run after his adoptive mom and dad straight away.

The foot is fitted with a silicone "sock", something first tried with a bottlenose dolphin named Winter, who lost her tail in 2005. The foot itself is made using silicone instead of the usual hard plastic, so it bends like a real duck's foot should.

The whole project took months after Buttercup hatched in November 2012, but all the hard work by Mike and the Featered Angels sanctuary who took him in paid off.

Isn't technology wonderful?