If you want to get good at something, become obsessed with it. If you're interested in computers, science or technology of any kind, however, you'll quickly find that there's far too much crossover to constrain yourself to only one subject. If this describes you or a friend, you're sure to find something they'll like below - logic puzzles, tech toys and more.
Some people still believe the earth is flat and we can only assume they set out cookies for the fairies, too. Anyone else may get a kick out of this palm-sized model of the solar system encased in crystal, making it a good gift for children and adults alike.
Lego is advertised as being suitable for people aged 3 to 99, a fact that has 100-year-olds rightly upset. Regardless, as long as you’re young at heart, these adhesive strips will have you plugging and playing in no time.
Like neckties, wristwatches no longer serve any practical purpose. They can still make a fashion statement, though, even if that statement is “I like computers more than dressing up”.
It can be difficult to find a board game that people of nearly any age will enjoy. Scattergories hits the mark: although winning doesn’t depend on luck, children can compete with adults on an even footing. This game is also a great way to get to know others better.
Spatial logic tests are all around us: trying to find a route from A to B, playing squash or even trying to visualize abstract information. The best time to learn it is as a kid, but adults need to keep in practice too, and it never hurts if doing so is this much fun.
A sure-fire gift for any music therapist, producer, DJ or teacher, this book explains the effect of melody on the brain. A real eye-opener, it manages to deepen the mystery of how we perceive sound rather than dispelling it.
For many Star Wars fans, the original LEGO Millenium Falcon is one of those holy grail items. Unfortunately, that original set is impossibly rare and expensive now. Fear not, however, since LEGO has you covered.
If you have a specific kind of relationship with someone in your office, this diabolical phantom keystroker might be everything that you’ve been waiting for.
Small enough to carry in your pocket, this remote sends out coded infrared pulses that almost all televisions on the market interpret as “shut up and go to sleep”. Imagine the fun and power this gives you!
This is a must-have item in settings where sensitive information is handled. How does it fit in as a gift? People don’t always realize how important their work is, but with this detector you can both remind them and help them out in one fell swoop.
One of Feynman’s principles is that clear thinking and clearly presenting your ideas go hand in hand, and it shows in this book. Any science or engineering student will benefit from it.
This little fan draws its power from your computer and displays the time while keeping you comfortable, with LED lights strobing to display the clockface. That’s cool in two ways!
Most people don’t need to use a microscope on any kind of regular basis. If, however, you are a kid or work in a field such as forensics or geology, you might really like to have one in your pocket.
Handmade from some lovely woods and about half a yard wide, this wooden board from Husaria will add a definite “Wow!” factor to any sitting room.
Made from precision-cut wood, this clock is sure to impress any curious guest. You don’t need any special tools to assemble it, but this is not an easy project!
This “Powered by Caffeine” mug may be just what you need if shopping for someone who works in chemistry, medicine, or a related field. It’s shaped just like a lab beaker.
Some puzzles are meant just to waste time, others are a little more challenging, and a few barely stop short of being infuriatingly difficult to solve. This one falls somewhere in the latter category.
Author Randall Munroe has won the hearts of millions of smart people with his unique mixture of humor, sensitivity, absurdism, and hard science. In this book, he turns his wacky sense of humor to all manner of things that don’t make sense.
With 12x (fixed) zoom and a large 55mm lens for better light gathering, the most useful feature of this monocular telescope is the clip-on phone holder. This allows you to take high-quality pictures at a distance.
Gyroscopes move in a way that all our senses and experience tell us they shouldn’t, and they resist any force that tries to change the direction. It’s definitely fun to play with and will easily amaze your kids.
This product will not be useful for everyone, but it will be an invaluable gadget for mechanics, building inspectors, or anything like that. They can snake the device through pipes, behind walls, or deep into machinery’s innards.
Our first thought about this movable camera robot was that calling it a security device was a little absurd. We were wrong, though. It’s pretty capable.
Those good at math are almost certainly going to enjoy COGZ. The Steampunk aesthetic will find it to be a thing of beauty. Things get very hard very quickly with this game, but it also depends on how smart and experienced the opponents are.