Affiliate Programs
By shopping through these links, you can help support the educational projects at GalaxyGoo.
Play, Create, Learn!
Print & Digital Media
Tech, Office, & Geek Gear
Home & Living
October 21, 2007
October 05, 2007
Planet Earth
A visual odyssey that will change the way we see our planet, this remarkable book, companion to the acclaimed Discovery Channel/ BBC series, is an enduring and awe-inspiring record of one of the most ambitious natural history projects ever undertaken. Using the latest aerial surveillance, state-of-the-art cameras, and high definition technology, the creators of Planet Earth have assembled more than 400 stunning photographs from around the globe.
Planet Earth: As You've Never Seen It Before Book (Hardcover)
September 16, 2007
Tasty Palette
January 28, 2007
One Grain Of Rice
One Grain of Rice: A Mathematical Folktale, by Demi, is a beautifully illustrated book that demonstrates a simple mathematical concept. Is it a fairy tale, or a math lesson? I'd say it's both.
December 27, 2006
Family Math
In the introduction, the authors say that teachers were asking for resources they could give to parents "to use at home to help their children in mathematics. They told us that parent were frustrated in not knowing enough about their children's math program to help them or in not understanding the mathematics their children were studying". With a grant from the Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education, the authors developed the activities in Family Math.
The activities are hands-on, with objects like blocks and beans. As the authors say "traditionally, these materials are used mostly in the early elementary years and paper-and-pencil mathematics becomes the rule after second or third grade. This is unfortunate, since much of mathematics can best be explained and understood using the tools of manipulative materials and models; and, in fact, many research and applied mathematicians do just that."
Also in the series:
Family Math
Family Math for Young Children: Comparing
Family Math - The Middle School Years: Algebraic Reasoning and Number Sense
Useful Mathematical and Physical Formulae
Useful Mathematical and Physical Formulae is a handy little book, with quirky and fun illustrations. The author, Matthew Watkins, was kind enough to donate a signed copy to Art Intersect Science a couple years ago.
The Discoveries: Great Breakthroughs in 20th Century Science
The Discoveries: Great Breakthroughs in 20th Century Science includes the original scientific papers. This is a fantastic book! Alan Lightman paints the context for each discovery, before presenting the original paper.
December 09, 2006
Handheld Video Microscope!
Oh wow! I really, really want one of these!
ProScope M2 Handheld Video Microscope - Display Magnified Video Images on Your PC or Laptop! It hooks up to a USB port.
Astroscan Telescope from Edmund Scientific
This is a great starting telescope, and has a very comfortable-round shape. Astroscan Telescope is a high-performance telescope that is easy-to-use, maintenance-free and completely portable.
A long time ago, there was a great store in Noe Valley called "Star Magic". It had all kinds of cool stuff in it, most of it to do with space and science (but not all). That's where I bought an Astroscan telescope as a gift for my husband and eventually discovered Edmund Scientifics. Years later, GalaxyGoo became an Edmund Scientifics affiliate, and we're now linking to one of their products: the Astroscan telescope. Funny how life travels these little circles and spirals.
The Dinosaurs of Waterhouse Hawkins
The Dinosaurs of Waterhouse Hawkins is one of my all time favorite books--in the top 5! The illustrations are intricate and inspiring...some of the most wonderful science illustration I've ever seen. It's just beautiful! The book is about Waterhouse Hawkins, a scultpor and artist who worked with paleontologists in Victorian England. Very few fossils were known at the time, and certainly not complete. With comparative anatomy, he and his collegues visualized what they thought dinosaurs may have looked like. Some of it was right, and some wrong...but the important thing was the process, and the show!
December 06, 2006
Bodum Double-Walled Insulated Glassware
One of my favorite things about the lab is the glassware. I really enjoyed making my own micro-pipettes, and other tools that required minor glass bending.
So, it shouldn't be too surprising that I was immediately drawn to these glasses from Bodum. I haven't tried them yet, but they look great. The double walls, with air between them, insulated the liquid in the interior. You can use the same glass for hot or cold drinks. Cool!
Bodum Double-Walled Insulated Glassware
December 03, 2006
Teaposy
These are really neat! A special treat for the tea-lovers out there! The Teaposy teapot is clear, so that you can see the tea "bloom".
Happy Chair
I have one of these in my office, for guests. The company that makes them calls it a Swopper™ Motion Chair, but we call it the "happy chair". It's so bouncy and happy!
Earth Ornament
It's hard for me to resist the beauty of the blue earth, even when purely decorative: Earth Ornament
BalanceBall Chair
I'm thinking of switching to this chair for my desk.
December 02, 2006
Radio Receiver & Morse Code Kits
Up for a little time travel? Let's way go back to days of morse-code and the early "wireless". I haven't tried these kits yet, but they look very interesting: Radio Receiver and Morse Code Kit
The product description says that they're best for ages 10 and up. However, they also say, with adult supervision, they're good for ages 3 and up. Cool! Sounds like a family activity to me!
Shape Scapes Sculpture Set
Shape Scapes Sculpture Set pieces have curvey shapes. Not your average construction set. While supposedly a kid's toy, it's also a nice desk toy.
Color Splash Camera
The Color Splash Camera looks like a lot of fun. Retro and techy, at the same time.
Staple-Less Stapler
Cool little stocking-stuffer: Staple-Less Stapler
Solar System Shower Curtain
This Solar System Shower Curtain hasn't been updated for the de-planetization of Pluto, but it's still pretty cool.
Robot Lamps
These Robot Lamps are great! It's very cool that they've designed a version in "girly" colors too. It's sad that so many girls don't get to have robot toys, just because they don't come in pink. Well, now they can!
Recycled Glass Tumblers and Platters
Glass is an amazing substance. Even though it seems like a solid, glass is really a liquid! It's also very well suited for recycling. These beautiful bottle platters and fish tumblers
are made from recycled bottles. Cool beans!
Pop Art Plates
These Pop Art Plates make me think "Abstract Art meets Biology". The colors are vibrant, and the patterns look wonderfully organic. Just beautiful!
Molecular & DNA Jewelry
This jewelry is based on molecular forms: DNA, Serotonin, and Dopamine
.
Lego: Imperial Star Destroyer
This is on the wishlist of more than one member of my family. What can I say? We like Star Wars and Legos.
Salad Spinner
Cooking is a great way to introduce many concepts important in science...measurments, step-by-step procedures, experimentation and results. It's also a wonderful way to work together with your children in a project-based activity.
One way to get them more enthusiastic about salads, is to get them involed in making them. My own kids (2 & 7) love using our Salad Spinner. Some times I have to wash the greens over and over again, and they still don't get tired of spinning it.
Gift Certificates!
Gift certificates are great! Especially as gifts for kids' teachers!
Science & Tech:
Edmund Scientifics Gift Certificates
For the kitchen:
Sur La Table Gift Certificates
The Perfect Gift - A CHEFS Catalog Gift Card
Family:
Leaps & Bounds Gift Certificates
December 01, 2006
DNA Model Kit
I haven't tried this kit, but it looks pretty straightforward and easy to build...with styrofoam balls as phospate groups and sugars.
FloraCraft Fun Learning DNA Kit DNA model kit
November 28, 2006
Bead Snowflakes Kit
Solar Car Kit
Planets in a Pouch
Crystal Formation Domes
This is a really cool alternative to a snow globe. The crystals continually dissolve and reform, and you can direct their growth by positioning it upside-down, sideways, and more.
Chocolate Dinosaurs!
Oh my! A big chocolate egg...with chocolate dinosaurs inside! Need I say more?
Lazer Tripwire
I would have loved one of these when I was a kid! What a cool toy! I wonder if the "siren" has a volume control, though. Setting up the beams so that they all connect properly could be a lot of fun.
November 26, 2006
New Designs: fossils on dark shirts
We've added new designs, and long-sleeved shirts, to our CafePress shop. My favorite is the blue deinonychus fossils on brown for women, and on navy for men.
November 22, 2006
Hot Sauce Kit
In college, I lived in Albuquerque, New Mexico. While there, I learned to appreciate a fine hot sauce...and the difference between red and green chili. I also learned that I prefer flavor intensity over hotness. That's probably why this Build your own Hot Sauce kit caught my attention.
November 20, 2006
Beach Ball Planets!
How could I resist inflatable planets? I think I'll be ordering a set for my kids....who am I kidding, I want them in my office.
I'd probably not use the sun in this set, since the scale is so far off..the real sun is nowhere near the same size as any planets ;-)
November 12, 2006
Multi-Colored Glass Galileo Thermometer
Galileo discovered that as temperatures vary, a liquid's density also varies. The colored spheres in this column of clear liquid change positions with fluctuations in temperature. Much more interesting than your average thermometer.
November 11, 2006
Digital Picture Frame
Digital Picture Frame Just needs a memory card with your digital images.
Hand Boilers
Hand Boilers are looped and twisted glass sculptures containing a colored liquid that will "boil" as heat is transferred from your bare hand. Very cool!
Nebula Plasma Ball
Nebula Plasma Ball - Creates an amazing light show - and responds to touch on the glass sphere.
Logic Links
Logic Links are great sequencing puzzles, and they come with colored chips to help visually organize thinking.
Mastermind
When I was a kid, I just couldn't get enough of Mastermind. I never got tired of it. The combination of logic and guessing was too much for me to resist.
One Night in the Coral Sea
Robin Brickman steals the show with her illustrations of One Night in the Coral Sea. She creates intricate textures and forms with paper cutting, paint, and glue. Just stunning!
Tufte and Visualization
Edward Tufte is famous for his self-published books on visual communication and information design.
His titles include
November 01, 2006
Periodic Table Shower Curtain!
It's elemental...a shower curtain with the periodic table of elements!
Circuitboard Coasters
Cool coasters made from circuit boards! You don't have to be a geek to appreciate the beautiful patterns on a circuit board.
Giant Plush Microbes!
Phyllis pointed out these ultra-geeky plush toys. Who could resist them?
To keep away the real bugs, be sure to wash your hands frequently. ThinkGeek has a fun soap dispenser too!
Canon Powershot SD900 digital camera
The new Canon Powershot is at the very top of my wishlist!
PowerShot SD900 Digital Camera - New!
October 31, 2006
The Mathematics Calendar
The Mathematics Calendar is back for 2008!
Every day, a new math problem...since the answer is always given, the fun part is figuring out how that could be the answer. If that's not enough to make you want one, hanging one in your work-space is sure to make you look smart!
Ringgz Game
Chocolate Chemistry T-Shirt
This design is based on our click-n-spell with the elements game. Chocolate is spelled out with symbols from the periodic table of elements.
October 30, 2006
Carnivorous Plants Kit
With this kit, you can grow your own venus fly trap...from seeds! The kit contains seeds for other carnivorous plants, and a little terrarium to grow them in.
LEGO Mindstorms Robotics Invention System 2.0
Lego Mindstorms! This is at the very top of my 7-year-old's wish list. To be honest, I can't wait to play with it too!
LEGO Mindstorms Robotics Invention System 2.0October 14, 2006
Kitchen Science & Cookbooks
Two great books for any foody, especially the scientifically inclined foody:
What Einstein Told His Cook: Kitchen Science Explained Written by Chemistry professor (and food columnist) Robert L. Wolke.
CookWise If you're a fan of Alton Brown, you've seen Shirley O. Corriher answering those tricky food science questions. Her cookbook is a must have!October 01, 2006
Plesiosaur T-shirt
Plesiosaurs aren't actually dinosaurs; they lived in the Jurassic seas. Mary Anning, discovered the first complete plesiosaur fossil in the early 1820s.
I designed this specially for my daughter, who dressed up as Mary Anning for halloween one year.
Deinonychus T-shirts
These Deinonychus fossils look like they're chasing each other around in a circle. Ah, the beauty of geometry and radial symmetry!
Stegosaurus T-shirt
Stegosaurus was one of my favorite dinosaurs, as a kid. So I had to include one in our new line of Dinosaur t-shirts.
September 26, 2006
Flash 8
We use Flash extensively at GalaxyGoo. The current version is the best yet, and a Flash 8 license allows you to download the public beta of Flash 9 Action Script 3 preview.
Coffee Cards
I love Peet's coffee, and I just had to order a sampler...to test out the affiliate system. I'm loving the coffee! There's a Peet's over the hill from me, so paying for shipping is wasteful. But I still want to benefit GalaxyGoo. Happily, Peet's has a Card program, so I can just buy a reloadable card and benefit GalaxyGoo with my local purchase.
Are you lucky enough to have a Peet's nearby? Order, or reload, your own Peet's card through our affiliate link:
September 06, 2006
Lava Lamps
I love my lava lamp! I can't imagine my office without it. This updated version has a metallic sheen to them, with the original hypnotic-organic-blobby movement.
