Science gifts and unusual gadgetsThe gift the whole family wants to try.

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Science Gifts, the shop for unusual science gifts

You can spot a good science object quickly: put it on a desk or a shelf, and someone asks how it works. Desk gadgets, science decor, lamps, STEM toys: here are the names you will see most often in the shop, explained in two lines.

Newton’s cradle

A row of hanging balls. Drop the first one and only the last one swings out: energy and momentum travel through the row.

See Newton’s cradles

Gyroscope

A fast spinning disc resists any change in the direction of its axis. Hence its surprising balance on a single point.

See gyroscopes

Storm glass

A sealed glass holding dissolved camphor. Its crystals grow or disappear, mostly as the temperature changes.

See storm glasses

Plasma ball

A glass sphere filled with noble gases at low pressure. The central electrode creates glowing filaments that follow your hand.

See lamps

Goethe barometer

A glass bulb with a spout. When air pressure drops, the water rises in the spout: the weather is probably about to change.

See the barometer

Galaxy projector

A lamp that projects stars and nebulae onto the ceiling using LEDs and filters, turning a bedroom into a night sky.

See projectors

To give, our guides by age and budget help you find a science gift idea for adults and children alike. Free delivery on orders over £45, 30 days to change your mind.