Every year, Brian Williams Science helps you find the perfect gift for the science enthusiast in your life. Today, we present the Galileo Thermometer!
Every year, the Brian Williams Science publishes a set of articles aimed at helping you find the perfect gift for the science enthusiast in your life. We call it Giving the Gift of Wonder. This year, we’ve got a very special list of great gifts ideas meant to inspire curiosity and imagination. Some are for children. Others are for adults. Many are for kids of all ages! Chances are that you’ll be able to check a few names off your list with some of the ideas you find here. And as usual, we hope that you will take time this holiday season to Do Some Science!
Today’s Gift Idea: Galileo Thermometer with Glass Ball Barometer
This beautiful piece of technology is based on a thermoscope invented by Galileo Galilei in the early 1600s. It uses a blend of old and new technology to interpret the weather. The Galileo thermometer contains a clear liquid and multiple colored weights (floating in the liquid). As the liquid within the weights changes temperature, their densities change and the weights rise or fall. The lowest weight at the very top of the Galileo reflects the temperature.
But the fun doesn’t end there. Included with the thermometer is a water barometer. The glass water barometer indicates changes in the atmospheric pressure. A low fluid level in the glass spout generally means fair weather while a higher fluid level in the glass spout means precipitation is headed your way. Who needs a meteorologist?
Still looking for a nice gift for the person who has everything. This may be exactly what you’re looking for. Consider the price (about $30) and its functional beauty and you’ve got a gift you can’t pass up.
Recommended for ages 10 and up.
Where can I buy one:
