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Afordable Geek Approved Science Gifts!
Posted on December 12, 2012 by Rachel Leigh

Happy Holidays Everyone!

Since it is the season of giving, I thought I’d go ahead and write an article with some neat gift ideas for the special geek in your life. As someone with two engineers for parents, I know how hard it can be to shop for someone who loves science and math, without spending a ton of money. So I thought I’d go ahead and do the work for you. Here are some wonderfully fun and affordable gifts that any science geek would get a kick out of this holiday season!

Aerogel_nasaAerogel:

Aerogel is the world’s lowest density solid, this is because overall it’s actually 96% air. One interesting characteristic about Aerogel is that if you hold a small piece in your hand, it is almost impossible to see or feel, but if you poke it, it reacts like styrofoam. Many would think that because it’s 96% air, it’s pretty useless, but this is far from true. It actually can support 4,000 times it’s own weight and can withstand a direct blast from two pounds of dynamite! Aerogel is also the best insulator currently known to man. Although the initial thought was to incorporate it into thermal jackets, this eventually became a problem when people were starting to complaining of overheating on Mt. Everest!

Purchase Info: Here

EcoSphere:

The EcoSphere is a self-sustaining and permanently sealed environment, contained within a hand-blown glass sphere. It is made up of a careful balance of: air, water, plant, and animal life, that was developed as a result of years of NASA research into self-sustaining, bio-regenerative, systems. NASA wanted to create a mini ecosystem that would be able to maintain itself for long periods of time (i.e. space travel.) Inside the sphere, tiny shrimp feed on bacteria, that then metabolize organic waste and nutrients for the algae which, in turn, photosynthesize the oxygen needed for the shrimp and bacteria to survive. This is actually rather incredible, the only thing you need to do to maintain the EcoSphere’s cycle is to place it somewhere it can receive sunlight. That is all. The rest takes care of itself.

Purchase Info: Here

Mars Rock:

Every once in a while a meteorite will smash into Mar’s surface hard enough to eject small pieces of surface rock into orbit, and every so often those small rocks will find their way to Earth’s surface. Those who find these rare pieces of Mar’s surface are allowed to then cut them up and sell them to others who would like to own a piece of the Red Planet. And who wouldn’t be amazed to hold a piece of another planet within the palm of their hand?

Purchase Info: Here

Gömböc:

The Gömböc is a self-righting object, which means, no matter what angle you place it at, it will always place itself right-side up again. It’s like a Weeble, except it doesn’t use weights to right itself, it’s very shape is what insures that. The idea that a shape like this was possible was conjured up in 1995, but it actually took 10 years of research to figure out how to make one that truly worked. What is interesting, is that scientists realized turtles had already evolved this basic idea long ago, their shells are actually formed in such a way as to help with righting themselves if they ever get flipped over.

Purchase Info: Here

penFisher Quad Function Space Pen:

Many of us never think about what astronauts use to write in space, but here it is! The Fisher Quad Space Pen is designed specifically to accompany astronauts into outer space. The ink within this pen is actually pressurized and a tiny sliding float lies between the ink and the nitrogen gas, which allows the pen to write at any angle, even in zero-gravity. The thixotropic ink is hermetically sealed in a small reservoir which actually allows this ink to last up to three times longer than a regular pen. It should also be noted that the Fisher Quad Space Pen can survive both freezing cold and boiling hot temperatures, in fact, anywhere from -20°F to 250°F. This pen can even be used to write underwater if the need presented itself!

Purchase Info: Here

Gallium:

Gallium is a silver metal with the atomic number of 31. It’s often used in semiconductors and LEDs, but an often unknown fact about Gallium is that it’s melting temperature is 85 degrees Fahrenheit. So if you hold a solid piece of Gallium with in your hand long enough, it will melt into a beautiful silver liquid. Now I wouldn’t go and lick your hand right after you use it, but Gallium is in fact non-toxic to humans and can actually be fun to play with and very interesting to watch.

Purchase Info: Here

FountainNeptune Tornado Fountain:

This neat whirlpool vortex fountain spins on top of your desktop, and is guaranteed to be a conversation starter in any office or household. The spiraling vortex that creates a “tornado” in the center of this elegantly designed fountain, is controlled by a hidden pump that produces the opposing currents needed to give it that lovely whirlpool effect. All you have to do is add water to the base, plug it in, and the vase will automatically fill to its brimming point. The fountain’s base is also equip with LEDs that are made to highlight every curve and water fold within the vortex, this guarantees quite a captivating experience when viewing this interesting fountain.

Purchase Info: Here

Miracle Berries:

Miracle Berries may not taste like much but the reason people eat them is that they contain a chemical called miraculin which binds the sweet taste receptors on your tongue and temporarily changes their shape. This changes how your taste buds react to sour or acidic foods. For instance, after Miracle Berries: Tabasco sauce will taste like donut glaze, Goat Cheese will taste like cheesecake, and Guinness will taste like Chocolate malt. And after a few hours the effects wear off completely, so no harm done.