9 gift ideas for the science geek in your life
If you're gifting to a Bill Nye protégé this holiday season, check out these gifts that will cause any science geek's neurotransmitter dopamine levels to rise. (That's geek talk for "love.")
Add a dash of NaCl
Know anyone with a background in chemistry — or anyone with an unorganized, overflowing spice rack? The Chemist's Spice Rack might be right up their alley. House spices in test tubes and lab flasks to make cooking feel like a grand experiment. Let's just hope it doesn't taste like one.
They'll never forget to use a coaster again
Speaking of the periodic table, these element coasters light up when a drink is set on them and can ensure that your Secret Santa recipient will never forget to use a coaster again. Each set comes with four different radioactive elements and also features the atomic number and isotopic mass of the most stable isotope. Yeah, science.
Is your teddy bear educational? Didn't think so.
Forget stuffed animals — what a nerd really needs is a plush microbe. Though microscopes can zoom in pretty far on these little guys, no one realizes how cute they can be until they're blown up into a giant plush toy. Choose from countless single options or themed boxes (like the "Let's Get It On" pregnancy microbes).
This lamp looks like an ad for The Big Bang Theory
There's no denying that this atomic age desk lamp is too cool. The exterior wire shapes resemble an atom while the string lights inside the bulb resemble protons. The metal accents make for a combination of nerdy and modern that is perfect for any decorating style. Plus, it's on sale.
Defy gravity
How about a floating lightbulb? Rated five stars, Flyte is a light that literally defies gravity using magnetic levitation, while the bulb is powered by the electromagnetic field and mercury particles. Your geek might be mad that they didn't think of this idea first, but they'll be too in love to care.
Portable lab equipment, kind of
This tiny smartphone magnifier is perfect for any curious geek and can allow them to examine anything at 30x magnification, no matter where they are.
For the NASA nerds
If your Secret Santa is someone who reads NASA's social media religiously, these decorative planetary string lights would be an out-of-this-world gift. Bonus: They're $10 off right now, which is an extra little gift for you.
Cooking is a true science
The Food Lab is a 5-star, #1 best-selling book and the perfect gift for someone who loves food as much as they love science. Whether they're chef level or can barely make toast, this book will show them the ropes through recipes and tips based on food composition, how heat transfers, and other science stuff. Plus, they might even make you a meal.
Because traditional clocks aren't challenging enough
Put their math skills to the test with this equation wall clock. Instead of traditional numbers like on an analog clock, this one requires you to tell time with mathematical notations — because that's the type of stuff geniuses find fun, right? (A cheat sheet is included with each clock, so if they're late, it's not your fault.)
Leah Stodart is a Philadelphia-based Senior Shopping Reporter at Mashable where she covers and tests essential home tech like vacuums and TVs, plus eco-friendly hacks. Her ever-evolving experience in these categories comes in clutch when making recommendations on how to spend your money during shopping holidays like Black Friday, which Leah has been covering for Mashable since 2017.
