Gift Ideas
gregladen | December 3, 2016Here I have just a few suggestions for science books for the kiddos. See this post for the adult version.
The Outdoor Science Lab for Kids and the other books in the same series are excellent, highly recommended, and reviewed here.
Treecology is also a science activity book that people seem to love. Chance are you already have it. Obviously, it focuses on trees, but that does not stop it from being year round, and there are, of course, many non-tree things that relate to trees, and that stuff is covered as well. My review.
Electronics for Kids and The Arduino Project Handbook are great…
gregladen | November 23, 2015I know a lot of you are looking for ideas for science-related children's presents for Christmas or whatever holiday you like to celebrate this time of year. I have a couple of ideas, and hopefully you will add some of your ideas below. Not everything that helps encourage the skills of scientific tinkering is found in a science kit, and I'll provide a few ideas for toys that do this. Also, some of the best science experiments are found by using things that don't come in kits, but by following the advice in books. So I'll suggest a few books as well. Purely science kits or tools are of…
gregladen | February 25, 2014There's this new thing. Quarterly.co has this thing that when I first heard described I didn't quite understand, and was not sure if I liked it or not, so I dug a bit deeper and it turns out I think it is cool. Here's the idea. Quarterly has assembled a bunch of people they call "Curators." These are famous people among whom you are likely to find someone you admire or respect or perhaps stalk in your own Internety way. The curators then work with Quarterly to assemble a box of stuff. Then, you, as Quarterly's customer, arrange to have the box sent. There are four a year (quarterly…
gregladen | December 1, 2011These are books that I've reviewed here, and would like to recommend that you seriously consider picking up if you are looking for a cool present for someone and you think they should read more science.
I'm including a couple of bird books in this list, but I also recently wrote up a summary of just bird books that you may want to check out.
These are in no particular order, and I'm not paying a lot of attention to publication dates. What matters is that I've I've put the book in this stack of books I've got here that I clean out every year about this time; Some are clearly older than…
cwilcox | January 27, 2009OK, I couldn't help myself. I see all these super-special bloggers making their own gear, and I want some too!
So, I cafepressed.
Here's the designs available, if you need a nerdy gift:
Definitely A Nerd (example, tote bag)
I always wanted one, so FINALLY, here's the "I am Statistically Significant!" shirt:
And, of course, Observations of a Nerd!
cwilcox | December 8, 2008Are you a really dedicated Greenie? Do you eat, sleep, and dream renewable resources? Well then, I think I have a gift you could feel good buying.
Eco-Gifting at its best:Elephant Crap Recycled
How about journals, stationary, and other paper products made entirely from Elephant Dung? No, seriously. The Great Elephant Poo Poo Paper Comapany Limited offers stylish, affordable recycled paper products that are unlike any other. They've been recycled through an elephant!
"Our purpose is to successfully sell our goods in order to complete a truly creative sustainable cycle" touts their…
cwilcox | December 5, 2008As the holidays draw ever nearer, I've been trying desperately to put together a Christmas list for my family and friends. After a lot of internet-searching and idea-hunting, I've stumbled upon some great nerdy gifts, and I figured I might as well share them with you all. After all, if you read this blog you're either a science-nerd or a nerd-lover, so these gift ideas just might come in handy. Here's part one of nerdy gift ideas for the holidays, with gifts for any nerd you love
A simple gift for any science nerd is a piece of the lab they can use anywhere, like this classic Beaker Mug. It's…
cwilcox | November 15, 2008If you thought the knitted Lab Rat and Frog were cool, check out these guys:
They're Food Chain Friends!
Thanks to someone's great insight at FAO Schwarz, you can buy your kids these loveable critters which demonstrate the food chain in all its plushy goodness. Food Chain Friends are from Daro, a small green planet modeled after the planet Earth 200 mya. "Daro teems with wildlife, and its exceptionally social and gracious species flourish in a complex - but oddly, very friendly - ecosystem." The best part, however, might be the slogan: "They're friends. They eat each other. It's a complicated…
cwilcox | October 9, 2008OK, so there's nothing really 'biological' about this story... but DUDE - I want one.
After years of waiting, we may just get the first flying car released in 2009 by Terrafigia, Inc.
The Transition is really a plane that you can use on the road, not a 'flying car'. Gregory Mone from Pop Sci even got to sit in the barely-under $200K vehicle, which he describes as "a single-engine, rear-propeller airplane that just happens to be street-legal." As if the fact that it can fly isn't cool enough, it also runs on premium gasoline - no jet fuel required.
Can we say the awesomest conspicuous…
cwilcox | October 7, 2008I just want to say that this might be the coolest thing I've ever stumbled upon while surfing the net. Hands down, by far, the best. Subsequently, it would be downright immoral for me not to share it with you:
Someone (found by this person) actually figured out how to knit a dissecting rat and frog. I'm sorry - I just couldn't help myself. I officially need to learn to knit, so I can make a pair of my own. Get the pattern for the rat or frog and make your own! Or if you're lazy, buy them. I think they'd make a great gift - especially if I'm on your Christmas list.
grrlscientist | February 14, 2008tags: mandles, gifts for men, valentine's day, streaming video
Don't know what to get your man for Valentine's Day? How about Mandles®, the candles made for men with scents like "Hardware Store", "A1 Steak Sauce", "Burrito Fart" and "Chuck Norris Sweat" [1:52]
grrlscientist | November 1, 2007Are you already worried about Christmas shopping? Are you worried about what to get that family member or friend who seems to have everything? Well, worry no more! Thanks to a reader of mine, you now can give the most unusual gift that anyone has every received; the gift of a Fish 'n Flush! Not only can you keep freshwater or marine fish in this unique set up, but you can also keep lizards or frogs or live plants or even inanimate objects in this thing! Wow, what a great gift, especially for that person on your holiday shopping list who has everything!
(No, I earn nothing for showing this to…