Christmas is days away, and you’re still struggling to figure out what to get the scientist in your life—or maybe you’re just looking for a gift for yourself! Well, rest easy, as the GEN editorial staff has you covered with some of the most unique science gifts from across the web that will satisfy the researcher in your life (even if that person is you).
The Age of Living Machines: How Biology Will Build the Next Technology Revolution
Neuroscientist and former president of MIT Susan Hockfield, PhD, has assembled a new book where she argues that we are on track for a convergence of biology and engineering to develop unimaginable new technologies. “The Age of Living Machines describes some of the most exciting new developments and the scientists and engineers who helped create them. Virus-built batteries. Protein-based water filters. Cancer-detecting nanoparticles. Mind-reading bionic limbs. Computer-engineered crops. Together they highlight the promise of the technology revolution of the twenty-first century to overcome some of the greatest humanitarian, medical, and environmental challenges of our time,” a reviewer writes. Hardcover is available for $25.74 at Amazon.
Microbiology Staph Only Mug
Get that coffee-loving, micro geek in your life something they can definitely use (outside the lab, of course). This colorful ceramic mug comes in 11 oz and 15 oz sizes and will leave you with enough money to buy some good java to fill it up. The 15 oz size is $17.00 at Etsy.
Skype a Scientist Merch
Want a unique holiday gift that also supports science education? Skype a Scientist is a digital learning tool that matches real working scientists with classrooms around the world. This allows students from all over the world and at all education levels to learn what it’s like to perform lab research and interact with an array of research investigators. 100% of sales profits go directly to supporting the program, and there is a wide selection of products from shirts, to bags, to babywear with distinctive science designs.
Women in Science: 50 Fearless Pioneers Who Changed the World
The number of female scientists has grown exponentially over the past several years and will undoubtedly have a positive impact on all aspects of the life sciences and beyond. Yet, as many know all too well, women have not had a smooth road to success in STEM fields, and author Rachel Ignotofsky wanted to highlight the pioneering women who helped make significant contributions to their respective disciplines. From Jane Goodall to Katherine Johnson, the physicist and mathematician who calculated the trajectory of the 1969 Apollo 11 mission to the moon, this New York Times bestseller is packed full of wonderful stories and beautiful illustrations. Hardcover is available for $12.89 at Amazon.
Brain Specimen Coasters
No self-respecting neuroscientist’s home would be complete without a set of anatomical brain slices! Protect your furniture and learn some brain anatomy at the same time with this set of 10 coasters where each features a slice of a brain, and when stacked together, it completes a full brain! Something to think about. Available at Amazon for $21.99.
Plagues from History Plush Toy Gift Box
Nothing puts scientists in the holiday spirit faster than some giant microbes—especially ones depicting historically plagues and epidemics. This box contains mini plush microbes such as smallpox, black death, and cholera. These fuzzy, microbial representations make great learning tools or fun items for your infectious disease research friends.
DNA Print Art
If Aristotle is to be believed when he said, “the aim of art is to represent not the outward appearance of things, but their inward significance,” then few other pieces of artwork would be more representative of that notion than these pieces which represent the building blocks of life. Your molecular biology friends will love this gift and look forward to showcasing it in their home or office. The pieces come in an array of sizes and background colors. The set of four (4 x 5 inches) is $19.24 at Etsy.
Antibody cookie cutter
Know an immunologist that likes to bake? Well, this antibody cookie cutter will make them a natural killer in the kitchen. This classic representation of an antibody’s molecular structure is an excellent addition to the holiday cookie exchange. This mold makes cutouts approximately 3.34 inches by 2.91 inches and can be picked up at Etsy for $8.25.
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