The List: The 10 Coolest Science Toys

There comes a time in every geeks life when he has to explain the purchase of a toy to a significant other.

This is something, male or female, we all must face to keep the delicate balance of sweet sweet lovin' and our holy swag flowing like spice melange.

The beautiful thing about this list of educational icons is the trump card they contain. Each and every one of these toys are chock full of SCIENCE!

Since most of you probably fraternize with a geeky mate this provides a carte blanche for the two of you to spend a small fortune on fetish items in the name of learning.

You're welcome.

10. Hydrodynamic Building Set





This insanely awesome building kit is complicated enough for the most hardened Mindstorms vet. Just like Ted Stevens, you can construct your very own series of tubes. Perhaps you could create a self contained hydroponic greenhouse in the hope of going insane with Bruce Dern.

9. Genetics and DNA Kit



Just dye your hair red and peer over a pair of sunglasses. I think you'll find the pithy sayings come quite easily. YEAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!!


8. Desktop Carnivorous Plant Set



Once you have these meat eating plants growing on your desk, there are some necessary things that you have to do. Oh, flies and water is a given, but I was thinking of whispering to them and laughing maniacally whilst staring at your coworkers. Soon my pretties!

7. Uberstix Uberpult



The world has suffered, I think, from a lack of siege weapons. The tyranny of your neighbors cat can successfully be held at bay with this building kit. Best of all you can use this with Lego, K'Nex, or even household items to create your malevolent creations.

6. Fly Stick Van de Graaff Levitation Wand





This portable Van de Graaf generator is the only item on this list to possibly lead to your immolation as a witch. So you should probably stay away from Kansas.

5. Prime Entertainment QX-5 Microscope



Imagine gazing into your monitor admiring the delicate trace of a butterflies wing. Of course this would mostly be used to make really cool wallpaper for your iPhone.

4. MegaZooka





This gives you all the fun of firing a weapon at someone, without the messy legal problems and cleaning bills. It also makes a rather satisfying noise.

3. Frigits Deluxe





This is just ridiculously awesome. I have nothing more to say.

2. Singing Rare Earth Magnets



Cheap, noisy, and mysteriously hypnotic what more can you ask for really? They also have the added bonus of being incredibly strong magnets. The mischief factor is very high.

1. EyeClops Night Vision Infrared Stealth Goggles





You will be the envy of every geek in a three state radius with these goggles. Most of us will just use them to annoy our spouses.
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The History of LED's

MAKE presents: The LED from make magazine on Vimeo.

Here is a cool little history of the light emitting diode from the fine folks at MAKE Magazine. More>>

In Space Everyone Can Hear You........Roar Apparently

The extremely cool balloon delivered ARCADE (Absolute Radiometer for Cosmology, Astrophysics, and Diffuse Emission) detected a very load radio signal that NASA's Alan Kogut has described as a roar. There have been several promising SETI signals that have yet to be repeated, The WOW! Signal comes to mind, so it will be interesting to see how this develops.

I, of course, think it is Mechagodzilla coming to judge us and have his vengeance. More>>

Star Child

Some local rationalism has reared it's head in my neck of the woods and the Indianapolis Star has foregone it's daily prayer. More>>

The List: 5 Weird Religious Toys

There is a disturbing number of people out there that think every aspect of a child's life must be slathered in dogmatic drivel, lest they be tempted by the hedonistic secular world. This has caused the creation of some incredibly bizarre toys that surely must have paralyzed the child with disappointment when presented with . Here are 5 insanities foisted upon their disappointed spawn.

5. The Armor of God Play Set

A nice suit of armor and flimsy plastic sword, a staple of childhood and not at all strange. The large emblazoned cross isn't even that odd, as the iconography is included on most commercial costume armor. The surreal part of this toy is it's product description. Used to combat the devil.

So apparently, the devil is extremely vulnerable to plastic much like fairies and cold iron.

4. Almighty Heroes David


David must be the alter ego of Marvel Comics B Lister Quasar. Suddenly the bible makes much more sense now! Wait....no it doesn't.

3. Nosh


This is easily the best plush toy based on amputated ear pastry ever!


2. Plastic Frogs


From the product description: These Green Plastic Frogs, a great Pesach Toy, will liven up any Passover Seder. Scatter the Green Plastic Frogs on your Passover Seder table or just let the children play with this great Pesach Toy.

What better way to tell your children that you love them than by making them reenact a plague.

1. Book of Mormon Chess Set


With this amazing chess set you can relive the Joseph Smith's quest to cast the Gold Tablets deep into Mount Doom.

Bonus. Ein O Air Pressure Science Kit


This "science" kit is hawked on Ken Hamm's Answers in Genesis site and I will forgo the easy joke pertaining to hot air experimentation.

OK, I guess I didn't.
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Brian Greene on a String

Much as the gooey caramel center compliments a Turtle, Brian Greene describes the string theory for the layman.

Later, Brian and Neil Degrasse Tyson will fight with swords.


OK, I made that part up. More>>

Door to Door Atheist

John Safran is very good at pointing out the absurd in a sublime anarchic fashion.

I have to go cry in a dank corner and wallow in the fact that I am not as funny as him. Perhaps if I affected a novelty accent, since I sport plastic framed glasses already. Yes, that is the real reason he is so funny......his accent.

Bastard. More>>