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Scientific American's Sci/Tech Gifts for 2003
Rick DeBay writes "Scientific American has come out with their Sci/Tech gift list for 2003. I think they did a good job, even the selections in the under $25 category are quite tasteful and dignified. And what Sophisticated Lady wouldn't be overjoyed at unwrapping a genuine Swarovski crystal accessory? My personal favorites fall in to those well-worn categories, 'Imprisoning Small Creatures for Amusement' and 'Getting Someone Else to Clean-Up.' The frog and shrimp farms fufill the first, and the domestically-challengeds' favorite Roomba the latter. Seriously, there is a mix of interesting gadgets, products that should never have been made, refugees from Sharper Image, and humorous geek stocking stuffers. It is unlikely that you could go wrong."
I had a "Shrimp Farm" almost three decades ago. But it had a much cooler name, This was truly a great gift.
Top Sci/Tech Gifts 2003
25 great holiday gifts for science lovers of all ages
Who says there's no science to gift giving? Tell that to the geek on your list whose bemused smile at "yet another acrylic turtleneck" is but a thin veil for his real desire for a James Watson Bobble Head doll.
Once again, we have left no stone unturned in ferreting out the very best gifts for the science lovers in your midst. What's under those rocks, you might well ask. Well, the South American Longhorn Beetle Collection for one, mounted quite elegantly in your choice of frames in one of our most attractive present selections. What's more, we've got a one-pound, anatomically correct chocolate brain for hungry minds, an at-home forensics lab for the pint-sized Sherlock, and, at long last, a clever contraption that will help your loved ones to divine their dogs' most profound emotions. For your very nearest and dearest, consider a self-orienting telescope, a Swarovski crystal-studded computer mouse, or Sony's AIBO ERS-7, the latest and most astounding in robotic pet technology.
Scientific American.com stands firm in the belief that there truly is a science to gift giving. We've done the research--now you furnish the results! --The Editors
Special thanks to Melissa Kirsch for her assistance in producing this section
GIFTS UNDER $25
A Crick in His Neck?
Best known for his contributions to the Nobel Prize-winning discovery of the structure of DNA, James D. Watson has never been so memorably depicted as in the form of the Watson Bobble Head. Bearing an uncanny likeness to the scientist himself, the doll's head lolls hither and yon delightfully, perhaps unsteady with the weight of all that knowledge! A mini-model of the famous double-helix clasped in his tiny hands, the figurine is a must-give for the biologists on your gift list.
James Watson Bobble Head $21.95
Not Just for Hydrochloric Acid Anymore One need not be a chemist to enjoy drinking that morning joe from a beaker! These sly Pyrex mugs sport handles, unlike many beakers in the lab, so your loved ones won't burn their hands on the vessels' steaming hot potions. This addition is also useful for science teachers, as students can watch the transfer of liquids without the demonstrator's hand blocking the view. The mugs hold up to 400 milliliters of coffee, tea or corrosive chemicals.
Beaker Mug $10.95 ($59.95 for set of six)
Food for Thought
Studies abound detailing the effects of chocolate on our nervous systems. But we've yet to see a scientific study on the results of consuming a chocolate brain. Now you can find out when you give the gift of an anatomically correct one-pound solid milk chocolate brain to all the neurosurgeons, med students, brainiacs and knuckleheads on your holiday roster. Potential organ donors should note that warm climates require express shipping for their brains.
Chocolate Brain $16.95
The Hypochondriac's Teddy Bear
There's nothing adorable about a sore throat in real life, but when it's magnified a million times, rendered in plush and given a set of button eyes, there's no denying it: this is one cute microbe. Joined by his other stuffed friends The Common Cold, The Flu and Stomach Ache, these pals from the Under the Weather Collection make a wacky gift for kids and adults alike. Each four-inch-tall critter is accompanied by an image of and information on the actual microbe it represents, lest anyone get too cozy with their darling little illnesses. Just as much fun is the Maladies Collection, which includes cuddly Bad Breath. Kissing Disease, Athlete's Foot, and Ulcer.
Plush Microbes $19.95
Quiz Show
For all those budding geniuses, here are endless hours of riddles, number games and word puzzles from the folks at the stratospheric-IQ society, MENSA. Choose from three different sets of elegantly designed quiz cards. At just about the size of your average index card, they're great for long car trips, sleepless nights or a post-dinner parlor game.
MENSA Mindbender Quiz Ca
The sphere is also scriptable. You can change its color by making HTTP GET requests to the sphere-controlling server. Although I'm not gonna plop down $150 for it, I think having a glowing sphere telling you how much email you have (green no mail, yellow some, red too much) would be pretty cool.