Friday, March 30, 2012

Golden x 3

"Measuring approximately 7/16 by 11/16, this ivory pendant is inspired by the mystic proportion known as the Golden Section, symbolized by the Greek letter phi. Scientists, artists, mathematicians, and philosophers have long been fascinated by the properties of this irrational number (1.6180...), and find it reflected in many places in nature. The design shows a few divisions of the proportion, with the overlaid Fibonacci spiral that is another echo of the golden section in nature. Using ivory reclaimed from an antique piano, I free-hand my designs with a small blade, then rub paint into the scratched design, in the ancient art of scrimshaw.
This design is a great gift idea for people with varied and unusual interests, from number theory or natural history to art design.
Included is a 14-ct gold-plated split ring, which can easily be installed wherever it needs to go, or you can keep it on the provided gold fabric cord."

Found at Ironwood Hollow's Etsy shop.

Thursday, March 29, 2012

Nooo!!!

"You simply can't divide by zero. If you do, your whole world will instantly suck in on itself like a black hole and you'll end up being in the middle of a singularity. I can't stress enough to never try to divide by zero. You've been warned. Don't come crying to geekthings if you get stuck in your own scientific purgatory. It's not worth it, don't do it, don't even think about it!

Below are all the available sizing and colours, specs for the tees I use and all other important information like shipping etc."

Found at geekthings' Etsy shop.

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

What a Bright Idea!

"What a bright idea! (pardon the pun)
A safely hollowed out incandescent bulb makes a lovely home for a bit of plant. Whether it's bamboo, a random houseplant cutting, a mini terrarium, or home to some friendly brine shrimp, this vase will add class to your desk, windowsill, or kitchen counter. The possibilities are endless! Let me know what you discover lives beautifully inside your own vase!

***THIS IS A CUSTOMIZABLE VASE*** You can easily change the tilt of the vase whenever you fancy because the vase is only resting on its base!"

Found at StarRedesigns' Etsy shop.

Monday, March 26, 2012

There's Gravity Over Here Too!!!

"Wheel thrown porcelain bowl embossed with the symbols and rounded values of standard gravitational acceleration.

Satin glazes in black and white.

4 1/2"/10.5cm in diameter
2 3/4"/7cm tall.
Capacity 14oz/400ml.

All of my ceramic pieces are wheel thrown and/or hand crafted, signed and numbered. I use only commercial food grade glazes so all work is food and dishwasher safe. This piece can also be used in a microwave."

Found at Inaeent's Etsy shop.

Sunday, March 25, 2012

He Didn't Memorize Values Because He Could Look Them Up in Books

"Albert Einstein Necktie - Microfiber Science Tie

Albert Einstein (1879 – 1955) effected a revolution in physics and now in fashion. Einstein's friendly face and enviable hairdo make him the perfect subject for this classy and unique necktie. Do you know whether gravitational fields play an important role in the constitution of the elementary particles? Whether or not you do, you'll at least look smart in this Einstein tie.

This design is from my own original drawing done in pen and ink, based on a famous photograph. The handwriting is Einstein's own. The image is carefully screen printed by hand on a soft, microfiber Umo Lorenzo necktie. Microfiber, as the name implies, is a very small, tight weave, closely resembling silk. The tie is standard size- 3.5" at the widest point and 58" long."

Found at ScatterbrainTies' Etsy shop.

Friday, March 23, 2012

Wrapped in Physics

"To me, the finishing touch on a thoughtful present is carefully chosen wrapping paper.

I am currently offering two designs. "Celerity" (white background) portrays the physics of the forces at play as a sled speeds down a hill. "5 AM" (blue background) illustrates the physics of Santa's sleigh as it flies through the air just before dawn on Christmas morning.

Sold in sets of two sheets, one of each design. If you would rather have a different combination, please write your request in the Notes section when placing your order.

Each sheet is 19.5" x 27", thoughtfully printed on 70 lb. matte coated, FSC certified, recycled paper. (What is FSC, you ask? It is the Forest Stewardship Council, which promotes the responsible management of the world’s forests.)

Shipped in a mailing tube. Order multiple sets and save on shipping costs!"

Found at s-curve's Etsy shop.

Thursday, March 22, 2012

Circuits

"This geekery ring was made with piece of beautiful circuit board green color. It was cut round, put into ring base and covered with resin. The ring is adjustable.

The board's diameter is 0.56 inch or 15 mm.

This item is one of a kind! You will receive exactly what you see on photos.

We try to do our best to represent the item's true color in the pictures, but the colors may vary slightly due to differences in monitor calibrations."

Found at ReComputing's Etsy shop.

Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Connect!

"Funky recycled circuit board clipboard that can range in size from about 9" x 6" to about 8 1/2" x 9". They have a very strong steel clip, as you can see from the picture, so they will hold a number of sheets of paper or a pad of paper.

All sizes are VERY strong and VERY durable and NONE of the circuit boards that we use in any of our products have ever been used or stuffed so they're all very smooth to the touch. In the case of our clipboards, they're smooth when using them to write on! ( everyone always asks !)

These clipboards also come in various shades of greens, sometimes browns and occasionally even brown or gold - but whatever color you get, you will be recycling a circuit board that might otherwise end up in a landfill and you are helping to make this world a greener place in which to live !"

Found at DebbyAremDesigns' Etsy shop.

Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Dress Up

"Even science lovers need interesting stockings. These are sheer barely black stocking with the helix design in velvet texture material running up one leg. It is 11.5 inches tall and rises from just above the ankle to below the knee.

We have two sizes smaller for women who are under 5.8 and weigh less than 160 lbs
and larger for women who are taller and heavier. Please specify what size you would like when ordering."

Found at Anatomology's Etsy shop.

Monday, March 19, 2012

Phrenology

"PIN CUSHION. PINCUSHION. PHRENOLOGY PIN CUSHION. BRAIN PIN CUSHION.

What seamstress doesn't need another PIN CUSHION?

Phrenology is the now discredited study of the shape of the skull as a means of discovering the character and intelligence of a person. We just think it's hilarious!

These are just one of the pincushions we use every day at Izzy & Me. Visit our shop to see our human heart and the voodoo doll pincushions. They make the perfect gift for the slightly twisted seamstress in your life!"

Found at IzzyNMe's Etsy shop.

Sunday, March 18, 2012

Chinese Marie Curie

"Chien-Shiung Wu (1912-1997, Chinese-born American physicist, whose nicknames included the “First Lady of Physics”, “Chinese Marie Curie,” and “Madame Wu”) came up with a truly beautiful experiment to test whether the weak force conserves parity (whether beta decay would be the same if reflected in the mirror). In my print on the left I show Mme. Wu in her lab and a schematic diagram in the box of her beautiful experiment in the box. On the right I show her reflection, as in the mirror, and in the box I show the mirror reflection of the experimental set-up and the shocking result, that the reaction is not the mirror opposite. The print is in an edition of 10 printed on ivory Japanese kozo (or mulberry) paper, 12.3 inches by 12.5 inches (31.2 cm by 31.8 cm).

In 1956, theoretical physicists Tsung Dao Lee and Chen Ning Yang suggested that perhaps the weak force might not be the same 'through the looking-glass'. The idea that the "Law of Conservation of Parity" might be broken was hard to believe. The laws of physics are the same in the mirror for anything else. Face a friend, as in the mirror. If you drop a pencil from your right hand, and your friend mirrors you and drops a pencil with his or her left, the pencils will fall at the same rate. This is because Parity is conserved by the force of gravity - as it is with the electromagnetic force and even the strong (nuclear) force within atomic nuclei. Lee and Yang pointed out that no one had checked to make sure that the weak force, which controls beta decay in radioactive materials, also conserves parity. Lee convinced the brilliant experimentalist to test this.

Madame Wu did a subtle and technically difficult experiment with her collaborators which is shown schematically in the print. She took Cobalt-60 (shown as the cobalt blue sphere in the box), which is radioactive. Its neutrons spontaneously give off electrons and become protons. The electrons are the tiny blue dots. On the left, we see that the Cobalt-60 in an electromagnet (a wire wrapped metal horseshoe with a source of power). Because of the spiral-wrap of the wire, we know that the North pole of the magnet will be on the bottom (you can figure this out by mimicking the curl of the wire with the fingers of your right hand and look at the direction your thumb points). It turns out that the emitted electrons are given off preferentially towards the North pole.

Next, she reversed the set-up as in the mirror. On the right you see the horseshoe and wire spiral reflected. If you use your right hand to check the direction of the magnet field, you'll see that it is the opposite way; the North pole is now on the top. It turns out that the electrons are preferentially emitted upwards toward the North pole. Thus, beta decay IS NOT the same in the mirror! Madame Wu showed that a "Law" of physics did not hold! This result was staggering and shocked the physics world. Lee and Yang won the Nobel prize for their theoretical work. Many physicists thought Mme. Wu should have been included in this win.

She won many honours for her incredible career. Wu took part in the Manhattan Project (wikipedia states she is believed to be the only Chinese person to do so) and literally wrote the book on beta decay. She was the first: Chinese-American to be elected to the U.S. National Academy of Sciences; Female instructor in the Physics Department of Princeton University; Woman with an honorary doctorate from Princeton University; Female President of the American Physical Society, elected in 1975; winner of the Wolf Prize in Physics (1978); Living scientist to have an asteroid named after her. She won many awards and fellowships including: the Research Corporation Award 1958; the Achievement Award, American Association of University Women 1960; John Price Wetherill Medal, The Franklin Institute, 1962; Comstock Prize in Physics, National Academy of Sciences 1964; Chi-Tsin Achievement Award, Chi-Tsin Culture Foundation, Taiwan 1965; Scientist of the Year Award, Industrial Research Magazine 1974; Tom W. Bonner Prize, American Physical Society 1975; National Medal of Science (U.S.) 1975; the aforementioned Wolf Prize in Physics, Israel 1978; Honorary Fellow Royal Society of Edinburgh; Fellow American Academy of Arts and Sciences; Fellow American Association for the Advancement of Science; Fellow American Physical Society. And I bet you hadn't heard of her! I'm trying to redress that. "

Found at minouette's Etsy shop.

Friday, March 16, 2012

Time to Look Cool

"This bracelet is made to look like an old school calculator watch.

It is completely hand-sewn and hand-appliqued and is made with 100% Holland Wool felt. 100% wool felt is a high quality felt that is far more beautiful and durable than acrylic or wool blend felt. It doesn't get really fuzzy from use like acrylic felt and the colors are more rich and radiant.

The bracelet is one size and closes with velcro.

Strap: 8.5"(21.59cm) L
Face: 1.5"(3.81cm) W

If people ask you for the time, just tell them, "It's time to look cool!" "

Found at BraveMoonman's Etsy shop.

Wednesday, March 14, 2012

Cherry Pi

"The perfect handmade accessory for the person who has memorized pi to the 100th digit. This inedible pie necklace is ideal for math teachers, your best engineer friend, anyone who loves a good foodie pun, and of course THE thing to wear on March 14 each year!

We sculpted the tiny pie by hand from polymer clay. The pie is in a tiny, shiny pie plate, the crust has little hand-pinched indentations and is perfectly browned. Each cherry is handmade too, and of course, the top crust is cut into the shape of pi!

We added the pi pie charm to a 16" sterling silver necklace.

** Measurements **
The pie measures just over 3/4" (2cm) in diameter. The necklace is 16" long; see the photos for a sense of scale. If you'd prefer a longer necklace, contact us through etsy and we'll be happy to make you a custom one.

The necklace modeled photo is of our pumpkin pie necklace. The pi pie is the same size, so you can get a sense of how it will look when worn."

Found a inediblejewelry's Etsy shop.

New Math: The Time Indiana tried to change Pi to 3.2

Any high school geometry student worth his or her protractor knows that pi is an irrational number, but if you’ve got to approximate the famed ratio, 3.14 will work in a pinch. That wasn’t so much the case in late-19th-century Indiana, though. That’s when the state’s legislators tried to pass a bill that legally defined the value of pi as 3.2.

The very notion of legislatively changing a mathematical constant sounds so crazy that it just has to be an urban legend, right? Nope. As unbelievable as it sounds, a bill that would have effectively redefined pi as 3.2 came up before the Indiana legislature in 1897.

The story of the “Indiana pi bill” starts with Edward J. Goodwin, a Solitude, Indiana, physician who spent his free time dabbling in mathematics. Goodwin’s pet obsession was an old problem known as squaring the circle. Since ancient times, mathematicians had theorized that there must be some way to calculate the area of circle using only a compass and a straightedge. Mathematicians thought that with the help of these tools, they could construct a square that had the exact same area as the circle. Then all one would need to do to find the area of the circle was calculate the area of the square, a simple task.
Sounds like a neat trick. The only problem is that it’s impossible to calculate the area of a circle in this way. It just won’t work. Furthermore, when Goodwin was toying with this problem, mathematicians already knew it was impossible; Ferdinand von Lindemann had proven that the task was a fool’s errand in 1882.
Goodwin wasn’t going to let something trivial like the proven mathematical impossibility of his task deter his efforts, though. He persevered, and in 1894 he even convinced the upstart journal American Mathematical Monthly to print the proof in which he “solved” the squaring-the-circle problem. Goodwin’s proof didn’t explicitly deal with approximating pi, but when you’re quite literally trying to fit a square peg in a round hole, weird things happen. One of the odd side effects of Goodwin’s machinations was that the value of pi morphed into 3.2.

Let’s Make a Deal

Although Goodwin’s “proof” was anything but, he was pretty cocky about its infallibility. He didn’t just publish his faulty method in journals; he copyrighted it. Goodwin figured everyone would be lining up to use his revolutionary new trick, and his plan was to collect royalties from businesses and mathematicians who sought to exploit his method.
Goodwin wasn’t totally greedy, though, and that’s where the Indiana legislature entered the picture. Goodwin couldn’t bear the thought of Hoosier schoolchildren being deprived of the fruits of his brilliance just because the state couldn’t foot the bill for his royalties. So he magnanimously offered to let the state use his masterpiece free of charge.
Indiana wasn’t going to get such an awesome deal totally for free, though. The state could avoid paying royalties if and only if the legislature would accept and adopt this “new mathematical truth” as state law. Goodwin convinced Representative Taylor I. Record to introduce House Bill 246, which outlined both this bargain and the basics of his method.
Again, Goodwin’s method and the accompanying bill never mention the word “pi,” but on the topic of circles, it clearly states, “[T]he ratio of the diameter and circumference is as five-fourths to four.” Yup, that ratio is 3.2. Goodwin isn’t afraid to lambaste the old approximation of pi, either. The bill angrily condemns 3.14 as “wholly wanting and misleading in its practical applications.”
Goodwin’s blasting of the old approximation isn’t even the funniest part of the bill’s text. The third and final section extols his other mathematical breakthroughs, including solving the similarly impossible problems of angle trisection and doubling the cube, before reminding any reader who wasn’t sufficiently awestruck at his magnificence, “And be it remembered that these noted problems had been long since given up by scientific bodies as insolvable mysteries and above man’s ability to comprehend.“

Math Problem

To anyone who passed the aforementioned high school geometry class, this bill was patently absurd. Apparently Indiana legislators weren’t a pack of math whizzes, though. After the bill bounced around between committees, the Committee on Education finally sent it out for a vote, and the bill passed the House unanimously. No, not a single one of Indiana’s 67 House members raised an eyebrow at a proof that effectively redefined pi as 3.2.
Luckily the state’s senators had a bit more numerical acumen. Well, some of them did. Eventually. After sailing through the House, the bill first went to the Senate’s Committee on Temperance, which also recommended that it pass. By this point, news of Indiana attempting to legislate a new value of pi and endorse an airtight solution to an unsolvable math problem had become national news, and papers all over the country were mocking the legislature’s questionable calculations.
All this attention ended up working in Indiana’s favor. While the state’s lawmakers couldn’t follow Goodwin’s bizarre brand of mathe-magic well enough to refute his proof, there were other smart Hoosiers who could. Professor C.A. Waldo of Purdue University was in Indianapolis while the pi hoopla was unfolding, and after watching part of the debate at the statehouse he was so thoroughly horrified that he decided to intervene.
The legislators may have been nearly bamboozled by Goodwin’s pseudo-math, but Waldo certainly wasn’t. Waldo got the ear of a group of senators after watching the absurd debate and explained why Goodwin’s theory was nonsense. (It seemed that most of the legislators didn’t really understand what was going on in the bill; they just knew that by approving it the state would get to use a new theory for free.)
After receiving Waldo’s coaching, the Senate realized that the new bill was a very, very bad idea. Senator Orrin Hubbel moved that a vote on the bill be postponed indefinitely, and Goodwin’s new math died a quiet legislative death. The Indiana legislature hasn’t tried to rewrite the basic principles of math in the 114 years since. We’ll keep holding out hope that some brave political hopeful jumps on the 2012 campaign as a chance to finally take a stand against the irrational tyranny of √2.
You can read the text of the bill here.

Story taken from MentalFloss.

Classy Pi

"Do you like this design? You can order more than 1 towel!!! I can also embroider it on just about anything!! This listing is for a flour sack hand towel, however, if you would like it on something else, for example: a BATH TOWEL, APRON, PILLOW CASE, SHIRT, SWEATSHIRT, LAPTOP CASE, TOTE, LAPTOP BAG, etc, just e-mail me at BattyBoutique [!at] aol.com or send me a message through the "Contact Seller" link at the bottom of the page and I can set up a separate listing for you and we can talk about the item you would like to be embroidered, the cost and any adjustments you would like made for your order."

Found at EmbroideryEverywhere's Etsy shop.

Today is a Lovely Day!!!


"Pi Bracelet

Celebrate your geekiness on Pi Day and every other day with this chalkboard style font Pi bracelet. Because where would the world be without Pi? (or pie?)

Chalk on a blackboard font letter beads are replicas of old fashioned typewriter keys. The bracelet fastens with a lobster claw and chain clasp making the length adjustable from 7 to 9 inches. Sure to fit geeks of every size.

Matching Pi Pie Earrings are here:

http://www.etsy.com/listing/83375014/pi-day-earrings-math-geek-pie-jewelry"

Tuesday, March 13, 2012

How many digits can you name?

"Need a nerdy way to keep your hands warm during those cold winter months? Looking for a great gift for your mathematically inclined friend? Look no further than these geek chic pi mittens, combining functionality with true nerd appeal.

These mitts originally started life as a 100% wool sweater that was rusty orange with a green and cream band around the bottom. I have turned it into these warm and fuzzy mittens that are the perfect answer to chilly temperatures! Onto the back of each mitten I have stitched a black pi symbol... just a little something to add some pizazz!"

Found at buffalonerdproject's Etsy shop.

Monday, March 12, 2012

Terbium and co.

"Periodic table of elements wooden blocks. Let your child's inner geek flourish with this set of 20 1 1/2" blocks that has the complete periodic table engraved.

From Hydrogen to Ununhexium, the blocks include the symbols atomic, number, mass and name."

Found at WoodToyShop's Etsy shop.

Sunday, March 11, 2012

Heroes

"Heroes have arrived...in the form of coasters featuring your favorite scientists!

This set of six WOODEN laser engraved coasters includes:

Rachel Carson (ecology, author of 'Silent Spring')
Carl Sagan (astronomy/cosmology)
Marie Curie (radiation/chemistry)
Nicolaus Copernicus (astronomy)
Albert Einstein (physics)
Charles Darwin (evolution/natural selection)

OR, SWITCH SOME OF THE ABOVE FOR THESE ALTERNATES:
Rosalind Franklin (genetics)
Mary Edwards Walker (surgery)
Jane Goodall (primatology)
Grace Hopper (programming, computer science)
John Snow (epidemiology)



Each set arrives tied with a pretty satin ribbon in red, gold, or sage green. "

Found at eavesmade's Etsy shop.

Friday, March 9, 2012

Delicioso

"Got Caffeine?
I love these shirts! In the near future I want to make more shirts like this in beer, sugar, and chocolate.
I have adult Small-Large "

Found at EclecticVisions' Etsy shop.

Wednesday, March 7, 2012

Aparatus

"These cufflinks are made by the Cufflink Workshop and come in a smart silver cardboard cufflink box. They are of a good quality and are silver plated settings with the image set into resin. Size - 16mm.

If you require more than one set of the same design please contact me and this can be arranged.

All cufflinks are sent by tracked post. There is discount postage on multiple items.

I make a wide range of cufflinks for all tastes, please see other items that I sell."

Found at CufflinkWorkshop's Etsy shop.

Tuesday, March 6, 2012

Not Beakers

"Chemistry love!

Show off your love of all things geek, science and awesome (they're synonymous) with these fabulous flask earrings! Great for working in the lab or perfecting your own chemistry in the evening, you'll love how they shine!

Besides, "actually, they're Erlenmeyers, not beakers", is a great intro line at parties - honest!

Cast pewter charms on surgical steel hooks. Also available with sterling silver leverback hooks, for an additional $2 charge; please convo me for details.

Coordinates beautiful with Chemistry Flask Necklace!
http://www.etsy.com/listing/76923010/gorgeous-geekery-chemistry-flask-silver

Please note that the photos are intended as samples; the pair you receive may vary ever so slightly from the pair shown.

Love Chemistry? Check out these other fun accessories from The Robot Princess!
http://www.etsy.com/shop/TheRobotPrincess/search?search_query=chemistry&search_submit=&search_type=user_shop_ttt_id_6255452&shopname=TheRobotPrincess

Thanks for checking out The Robot Princess! I love creating fun, whimsical jewelry for any occasion, often with a pinch of edginess; I hope you'll enjoy wearing my designs as much as I enjoy creating them!"

Found at TheRobotPrincess' Etsy shop.

Friday, March 2, 2012

Things

"This Dr. Seuss inspired Thing 1 and Thing 2 set has got to be the cutest outfit for TWINS or siblings!!!

Perfect for Halloween or pictures!

This outfit comes with an appliqued Thing 1 and Thing 2 onesie. Matching candy cane leg warmers can be added for an additional $10.00 per set.

The hats can be purchased for an additional $40.00 by clicking the link below:
http://www.etsy.com/listing/93259216/thing-1-thing-2-crochet-hat-wig-two-hats?ref=pr_shop

If you have questions about the hats please email Melissa directly at:

freemancraftsandfabrics [!at] gmail.com

*I recommend measuring your little ones heads and emailing them to Melissa with baby fantasy crochet for a custom fit.

This outfit is available in a longsleeve or short sleeve onesies or shirt."

Found at Mupdie & Dragonflies' Etsy shop.

Thursday, March 1, 2012

N, C, H, and O

"Flashback to our days in high school Chemistry class!

This is the molecule for Caffeine.

We print each image onto the mug using a high heat process. Each mug is made to order and will look like the image above. If you have any requests for changes to your mug (such as placement of the image, additional text, etc.), please let us know and we’ll be happy to try to accommodate you.

DETAILS:
11 Ounce Ceramic Mug
Measures 3.7” Tall and 3.2” in Diameter
Microwave and Dishwasher Safe

CUSTOMIZED MUGS:
Have an idea for your own mug? We would love to help! Convo us with your request and we’ll work to come up with the perfect design."

Found at DailyGrinder's Etsy shop.