A Holiday Gift Guide for Science Geeks

by Ziya Tong     Department: Science & Society

If there's one thing that I've learned from working on this show, it's that science nerds truly are a diverse & colorful bunch. So this year, instead of re-gifting that "one-size-fits-all" pocket protector, here's a handy little guide to finding that perfect science-inspired present for geeks of all persuasions.

For Rebels: Does sporting a fake tattoo make you a nerd? The answer is probably, yes. But these Temporary tattoos for Geeks, Nerds & Hackers  are a great gift for any cubicle contra. w00t!

For Die-hard pessimists: We all know that special someone who's convinced that we're all gonna die. And in that spirit, what could be better than the gift of positive affirmation? In  The World Without Us, Alan Weisman speaks to experts - from astrophysicists to zoologists - and takes a fascinating look at what the world will be like after the Apocalypse.

For Humanitarians: For the slightly more inspired, check out UNICEF's School-in-a-Box . The expandable kit sets up an instant school for up to 80 children during times of crisis. It includes basic school supplies like exercise books, pencils & erasers, as well as a black board, labelled posters & other teaching tools.

For Nerdy Babies: Every parent in the world thinks that their baby is a genius. But let's face it, 99.994% of them are wrong. Budding baby prodigies can however, get a great head start with this illustrated and grandiloquent ABC wall chart.

For Adventurers: You've heard the saying: "I wouldn't join any club that would have me as it's member". Well, I'd say that's true, except for this one. The Explorers Club is a professional society of adventurers chaired by Sir Edmund Hillary. Every year they organize expert-led expeditions to remote & rarely seen landscapes around the world. 

For Mum: Is your mum a nerd? Then look no further than this mini-perfumers laboratory. Aside from creating a personalized fragrance, the Perfume Science Kit  offers an introduction to olfaction, and gives a background on the biology, chemistry and techniques behind perfume design.

For Accessorisors: Some people love to make fashion statements, so why not make a science statement while you're at it with these chic and simple silver  Periodic Table Earrings.

For the Co-worker: Is your co-worker upset about their lunch mysteriously disappearing from the communal office refrigerator. Well, nothing says "Back offa my chicken schnitzel" like these lovely biohazard labelled Atomic Food Containers.

For the Funky: You've heard of black pride. But how about nerd pride? Or better yet, Black nerd pride? Well, thanks to people at the Black Nerds network you can declare your great geek style with this  Afro-comb pocket protector t-shirt.

For Dad: Does poor old Dad get stiffed with a cheesy tie each year? Well, now you can up his chic-geek quotient with this elegant & stylish  Engineering Graph silk tie.

For DIYers: Lastly, this is pretty darn cool gift for an eco-kid. It's a Fuel Cell Car Kit that let's you build a model car that runs on water. You can watch as the H20 separates into Hydrogen & Oxygen to power the toy vehicle, and the kit comes with an instruction book to test out 30 other experiments.

Tags: 2007, geeks, gift, guide, holiday, nerds, presents, science

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