Gadgets, Gizmos, and Games for Geeks

Do you fancy yourself a modern day Dr. Frankenstein? Well then, you need a laboratory with lots of tubes and wires, some tesla coils, and of course some brains in jars. While I recommend American Science & Surplus for the lab gadgets, Copernicus Toys & Games has got you covered with the brains. Yes, for just $10 a pop, you can grow your own detailed brain that you can stuff into a jar.

Inventor and madman Colin Furze has built some pretty wild stuff over the years. Among my favorites are his Star Wars-inspired projects, which so far have included a giant AT-ACT playhouse and a full-size TIE Silencer ships.

Most audio output devices fall into one of two categories: headphones for personal listening, and loudspeakers for group listening. But Sony’s new device falls somewhere between the two – a speaker you can wear. The SRS-WS1 is designed for those times that you want the sound quality and volume of a loudspeakers, but don’t want to wake the whole house. Rather than pressing up against your ears or sitting inside of them, the SRS-WS1 sits around your neck and rests on your shoulders, using a unique acoustic design to channel audio to your ears.

Microsoft Excel has long been one of the most popular pieces of business software, and is used by pretty much every company on the planet to create spreadsheets, databases, charts, tables, and financial models. It also can be used to play video games.

It seems as if no matter how hard I try, there’s always dust on every smooth surface in my house. Perhaps it’s all the dander that my two dogs kick up, or maybe the same thing happens to everyone, pets or no pets.

There’s something about the cratered surface of our moon that gives it such a wonderful appearance as the sun reflects off of it in the night sky. Now you can experience that wonder every day – whether or not it’s cloudy outside – with this nifty Levitating Moon Desk Lamp. Unlike the actual moon, this one is illuminated from the inside out, but it still looks pretty awesome.

Are you sleeping too well? Well, let’s change that right now. The only thing creepier than the decapitated bald head of a doll is one with light-up red eyeballs, and that makes all kinds of haunting sounds when you get near it. What you’re looking at – and about to listen to – is a custom built photo-theremin that emits those weird and wild sci-fi noises when you place your hand above its head. The Worst Things for Sale points out that you can actually buy one of these things over on Amazon if you really want to.

Star Wars and LEGO are a marriage made in heaven, and if you’re looking for a great set to add to your LEGO Star Wars collection, look no further than this Darth Vader’s Castle kit.

With the recent cold snap here in the midwest, I’ve been downing cups of tea like they’re going out of style. At times, I even imagine taking a swim in some chai or mint tea since it smells so good.

Are you ready, kids? SpongeBob loves his popcorn, and now you can, too, with the official SpongeBob Popcorn Popper. In just five minutes, it’s ready: six cups of fresh popcorn popped right inside the head of the world’s favorite cartoon sea creature.

I love classic arcade games from the 1980s. Not only did they define my youth, there’s just something special about how much enjoyment you were able to eke out of games with such simple gameplay mechanics.

Not too long ago, I moved into a new decade of life, and am feeling a bit long in the tooth – especially after seeing how many candles were on my birthday cake. I suppose I might not have cared so much if the candles were as cool as these ones. These fun pixel art candles are made using fused perler beads by Burrito Princess, and are the perfect way to decorate a cake or cupcakes for any geeky birthday celebrant.

It’s Thanksgiving day, and there’s no better way to celebrate the holiday than with some delicious, stuffed turkey. And while you might yours stuffed with cornbread and celery, I like mine stuffed with lithium-ion batteries, motors, and wires.

Do you have trouble getting to sleep? No luck with Melatonin or Ambien? Well, here’s something that will surely get you some shut-eye – a gigantic Snorlax sleep lounger. Created lovingly by Knot Again by Amina, this handmade Snorlax bed (aka the “Sleeping Monster”) is sure to lull to sleep anyone who dares to lay on its inviting and rotund belly.

In the words of Arnold Schwarzenegger, “Get your ass to Mars!” Now you can, each and every day with this awesome desk toy inspired by the dust storms on the red planet. Created by toy designer Dan Abramson, the Mars Dust Globe offers a truly unique take on the classic snow globe.

While it might be a couple of years before we see any actual Tesla Cybertrucks on the road, there is one way you can get your hands on one immediately – by building a model of one.