Sale at The McSweeney's Store: Perfect for Giant Squid Lovers!

The McSweeney's store is having a 50% off sale this week and it's a great opportunity to pick up some geeky gifts, either for yourself or a friend.

You feel poor. We feel poor. Let’s feel poor together. This week only, almost everything is half-price at on our store site. Escape the holiday rush and cross every name off your list in one cheap swoop.

Some of the quirky-yet-geeky options:

• Animals of the Ocean, in Particular the Giant Squid, Dr. & Mr. Doris Haggis-on-Whey
About the author:


Dr. Doris Haggis-On-Whey has seventeen degrees from eighteen institutions of higher learning. She is a world-renowed and much-feared expert on just about everything. With her husband Benny, she has traveled the world over, and has learned about all aspects of life, including outer space and food, first-hand. She has written or will soon write over 147 books.

• McSweeney's Squid T-Shirt
• Nerd Bird T-Shirt
• "What Happens in La Brea Tar Pits Stays in La Brea Tar Pits" T-Shirt

Moon Dust DNA Watch

The Moon Dust-DNA watch by Swiss watchmaker Romain Jerome sounds like the ultimate geek accessory:

• A lunar dial based on a mineral deposit including Moon dust;
  
• 
  A 46 mm steel and titanium case incorporating steel from the Apollo XI space shuttle;
  
• 
  Rusted steel paws including fragments of the Soyuz spacecraft; and
  
• 
  A strap composed of fibres from a spacesuit worn during the ISS mission.
  

As far as I can tell, no actual DNA is included - instead they are using the term to mean "essence of" or, maybe more accurately, "related bits of". Still, very cool for anyone who wants to wear a little bit of space exploration.

(via Gizmodo)

Anatomy Espresso Cups

Dutch artist Joep van Lieshout has designed a set of cups depicting "the four systems of the human body involved in drinking coffee". I'm not sure I'd want to be reminded of my kidneys while the caffeine is taking effect, but they would make for interesting after-dinner discussion.

(via Street Anatomy)

DIY Test Tube Vases

If you have access to test tubes and a drill, you can craft some stylish vases - perfect for your home or lab.  All you need to do is follow these simple instructions at Curbly.  

Or if you aren't handy, you can purchase a pair of test tube vases from Sprout Home (shown at left).

Space Art by Don Davis

Don Davis started out working at the US Geological Survey making Lunar maps. Since then he has become a frequent illustrator of space and planetscapes for television shows, magazines and NASA. You can buy his paintings and prints through Novaspace. My favorite is this framed print (detail shown) depicting the meteor hitting the Earth off the coast of the Yucatan peninsula that cause mass extinction of the dinosaurs.

Shirley Geek Robot Tee

If you like your geeky t-shirts to be glossy and stylish, the Shirley Geek robot tee adorned with rhinestones and beads might be for you. Shown is the longer length short sleeve women's tee in black for a not-so-cheap £48.

Germ Pins

Crinoline's felt bacteria germ pins are the perfect gift for your favorite microbiologist!

Image: green bacterium with chain-stitched flagella, 2-1/8" in diameter

Brush With Science: Biology, Myths and Art

Julie Newdoll is an artist who fuses biology, biochemistry and mythological images into unique works of art. Her pieces have appeared on the covers of a number of prestigious scientific journals, such as Cell, EMBO and Nature Reviews. Now you can purchase high quality prints of some of her pieces. The thumbnail at left is "Base Pair" part of her "Life Forms" series. Also check out "The Cell Cycle as told through a story from the Popol Vuh", "Spindles of Necessity", and "Inside Time".