The holiday shopping season is firmly upon us! If you have a scientist or science-lover still on your list, you’re in luck. Labcompare’s Laboratory Equipment 14th annual Holiday Gift Guide is here with some great ideas for the science nerd in your life—or for yourself (I won’t tell). Take a look below and see if anything turns out to be the perfect fit for a friend or loved one. Now, get a move on—express shipping costs are no joke!
1. “Publish or Perish” Party Game
Publish or Perish is a satirical party card game about academic publishing, created by Max Hui Bai. Welcome to the chaotic life of academic publishing! In this game, you will publish useless nonsense, sabotage your colleagues’ research, and provide unhelpful comments, Reviewer 2 style. Your goal is to gain as many citations as possible when the game ends, ideally with your sanity and self-respect intact. For PhD students, researchers and professors who enjoy academic humor, Publish or Perish is an incredible and unique gift!
Price: $46.99
2. Lumora Gas Glow Tube Set
Lumora is a modular display of 10 sealed gas tubes, each filled with a different pure low-pressure gas—like neon, helium, krypton and more. When powered by the custom high-voltage base, each tube emits its unique spectral glow: a true color signature of the element inside.
Price: $131.30
3. Crocheted Chemistry Plushies
Ali of Ali’s Fiber Arts handmakes the cutest chemistry plushies! These soft, huggable stuffed plushies are available in a variety of recognizable STEM objects. For example, a laboratory flask, a microscope, a separatory funnel and tripod, a Bunsen burner, a bacteriophage, chromosomes and more! Check them all out here on Etsy. The seller has 5 stars and many positive reviews, especially fast shipping.
Price: Starting at $15.00 for a single flask and up
4. Chemistry Word Magnets
This chemistry word magnet set lets you create jokes, prose and poetry about your passion for chemistry! The set was carefully designed by real chemists to include organic, inorganic and other sub-specialties. The 144-tile Starter Set is required to form sentences. It includes science basics like “experiment,” as well as pronouns, linking words like “the”, and endings like "ed" and "y". The company recommends one starter set per four specialty sets. In addition to chemistry, specialty sets include: academia, PhD self-care, microbiology, neuroscience, physics, engineering, ecology, math, biology and medicine.
Price: $17.99 for starter set and 1 specialty set
5. Turing Machine Coding Puzzle Game
In 1936, Alan Turing created the first conceptual model of a computer, known affectionately as a Turing machine. This code-cracking game challenges players to discover millions of secret three-digit codes using a Turing machine–like artificial intelligence system made entirely of perforated cardboard and paper. The proto-computer AI machine tile does not require wires, internet or electricity. Round after round, competitors stack cards to "ask" the computer logic questions to uncover the secret three-digit code through the process of elimination or relations between numbers. Play solo or in teams to decipher more than 7 million possible combinations created by an online problem-generator website.
Price: $43.00
6. ATGC Molecular Biology T-shirt
Move over ACDC, scientists prefer ATGC. This T-shirt is inspired by the popular design of the classic rock band ACDC. But instead of those letters, it features the letters of the four chemical bases of DNA: ATGC. Additionally, instead of the classic lightning strike between AC and DC, this shirt has a DNA strand between the AT and GC. The design is available in 9 colors and a variety of styles of T-shirt and sweatshirt styles.
Price: $29.99
7. Periodic Table of Flavor Rub Set
Cooking and chemistry go hand in hand, so you may as well be funny about it. This set of 12 spice blends and rubs inspired by around-the-world flavors will impress even the most discerning foodie. Featuring blends ranging from Korean BBQ (Kb) to Pink Peppercorn Lemon Thyme (Lp), Smoky Honey Habanero (Hb) and Chile Margarita (Ch), there’s something to please everyone’s palate.
Price: $65.00
8. Types of Blood Gel Pens (Pack of 6)
While most vertebrates have red blood, octopuses and crustaceans have blue blood, leeches and some segmented worms have light green, lizards have green, some marine worms have violet, and sea cucumbers and some beetles have yellow. Write in the rainbow of blood colors with this gel pen 6-pack. Each pack contains 6 unique colors: Hemoglobin, Hemocyanin, Chlorocruorin, Hemerythrin, Vanabin and Biliverdi. These pens are from Cognitive Surplus, which is my absolute favorite gift-giving site for science lovers. The variety is astounding, and everything is beautiful and high-quality.
Price: $12.95
9. May The Force Be With You Pipettes Sticker
As a science writer/nerd who intentionally had her baby on May 4, this sticker really speaks to me—and I hope it does to you too! At 3'' x 3'', this sticker is the perfect way to personalize your journal, laptop or lab bench with a touch of individuality. Sticking with the “Star Wars” theme, you should also check out this “Pew Pew Pipette Gun” sticker. If sci-fi isn’t your thing, there’s plenty of other cute, punny, funny and classic science stickers also available.
Price: $3.50
10. Periodic Table Rubik’s Cube
This chemistry-themed take on the classic Rubik’s Cube combines a colorful puzzle with a nod to the periodic table, making it a fun desk accessory for chemistry enthusiasts, students and educators. Whether they're taking a quick break between experiments or looking for a new challenge to tackle, this compact cube offers a playful way to celebrate love of science. Measuring approximately 2.2'' on each side, it's small enough to keep on a desk or on the lab bench.
Price: $20.95
Bonus. The Ultimate Squishy Human Body with SmartScan Technology
The Ultimate Squishy Human Body is perfect for the budding scientist in your life, or really any fun scientist who works with the human body every day. Sculpted from a medical model of a real body, this detailed, realistic human body model comprises 10 removable squishy organs and 15 other removable bones, muscles and organs. When one of the eight removable “SmartParts” is placed on the electronic SmartScan module, users are presented with information about the part, the system it belongs to, and fun facts. The scanner can also test users’ knowledge with 70 quiz questions. The module also produces sounds based on the organ in question, so expect some burps and gurgles!
Price: $99.99
Happy shopping!