For kids: Perfume Science Kit, $53.90
This perfume kit is great for budding girl scientists, who can create their own fragrances from four basic oils and another four “creative” oils. The manual explores the physiology of smell, including how the brain helps perceive it, and also gives a lesson in perfume chemistry. Kids will even learn about the history of the perfume industry and learn to train their noses to certain smells.
Ages 10+
For adults: EcoSphere, $59.95
This little globe is a world of its own that can fit snugly on an office desk. The EcoSphere demonstrates a micro ecosystem that can survive an average of two years on its own. Small shrimp, algae, and other micro-organisms fill the sea-water, but not to the point of overpopulation. This delicate balance of life means the spherical ecosystem doesn’t need much help to survive.
The product actually stems from NASA’s research on self-contained communities for astronauts to live in during long flights.
