Available here:
From Amazon: BUY NOW: Metal Balance Bird and Stand
Note: this site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated
Metal Balance Bird: weights in the wing tips create a center of mass below the bird's beak- making a system in stable equilibrium. No magnets! This is the nicest version of this toy I’ve seen- with bird and iconic stand cast in zinc alloy metal.
Get the print files here:
From Cults3D: Download Now: Wind Spinner Double Helix
Ribbon Twist Kinetic: two opposing spirals combine and hang in balance via this 3D print kinetic sculpture designed to spin in a breeze. When rotating the coils appear to ascend and descend simultaneously. Posting prints using a blue filament and a silk filament- both look amazing. A design by movingart on cults3D and expertly printed by my friend @david_tobin
Many colors (and two sizes) to choose from:
From Amazon: BUY NOW Ooze Tube 3 Colors
Note: this site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated
Ooze Tube Viscosity Contrast: this set of ooze tube timers comes with 3 mixtures of polyisobutene fluid, each with a different viscosity where green always wins the race: green (thin), yellow (medium), and red (thickest). A curious periodicity in the rate of flow is related to the formation of non-spherical bubbles as the air and fluid trade places (an hour shown in time-lapse). The fluid also displays the “liquid rope-coil effect” where the fluid thread coils and stacks as it lands on the pooling surface.The physics of the liquid rope-coil effect is pretty complex. Here is a recent scientific paper on the topic with nice illustrations.
Journal of Fluid Mechanics: Multiple coexisting states of liquid rope coiling
Feel Flux-- available as a set, or individually (all come with the super powerful sphere magnet) here:
From feelflux.com: BUY NOW: Copper Feel Flux
Get some magnetic viewing film here:
From Amazon: BUY NOW: Color Magnetic Viewing Film
From Educational Innovations: BUY NOW Regular Magnetic Viewing Film
Note: this site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated
Lenz's Law: a strong Feel Flux neodymium magnet falls slowly down a thick walled copper tube as though passing through a viscous liquid. Since magnetic fields pass through copper, magneview film reveals the location of the falling dipole magnet. The moving magnetic field from the falling magnet produces electric currents in the copper- these currents then produce magnetic fields that have the opposite polarity to the initial field. So a falling magnet makes the copper pipe briefly into an electromagnet that then repels the falling magnet. Special thanks to the guys from Feel Flux who kindly sent me this awesome longer piece of the copper tube from which their amazing toy is produced.
Get a sample here:
From Amazon: BUY NOW Optical Calcite Crystal
Get inexpensive polarizing filters here:
From Educational Innovations: BUY NOW Polarizing Filter Sheets
Note: this site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated
Birefringence in Calcite: elegant rhombohedral crystals like this one form naturally, and notice that two images are seen when looking through it. The speed of light in a calcite crystal depends on polarization- the refractive index is different depending on the polarization orientation of the light transmitted through it. As a polarizing filter is rotated 90 degrees, one image appears and the other vanishes, showing that the polarization orientation of the light of the two images is indeed perpendicular.
Get this affordable dichroscope here:
From Amazon: BUY NOW: Dichroscope
Get dichroic iolite samples here:
From Etsy: BUY NOW Iolite Sample
Note: this site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated
Dichroscope: many gemstones show very strong pleochroism- their color depends on the polarization of light as transmitted through the crystal. This dichroscope consists of two linear polarization filters at right angles to each other, and allows the user to see maximum contrast in color variation in gemstones. Shown here: sample of rough iolite, a polished iolite cabochon, a natural pebble of root beer tourmaline, and some pink tourmaline.
Get a set of fidget magnets here (many shapes and colors to choose from):
From Amazon: BUY NOW: Speks Odds Magnetic Fidgets
Magnetic viewing film available here:
From Amazon: BUY NOW: Color Magnetic Viewing Film
Note: this site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated
Speks Odds: strong magnets encased in soft silicone make for an oddly satisfying fidget toy. Magnetic viewing film reveals the dipole magnets within.
The CUMOS Cube is a creation of artist Minori Yamazaki. Artwork available for purchase.
From Etsy: BUY NOW: Cosmos in a Box
Visit the artist's page: Minori Yamazaki
Note: this site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated
CUMOS Cube: a variation on the Kaleidoscope by artist @minori.yamazaki that produces a Cosmos in a box. So much wonder hidden within this unassuming white cube where etchings on front surface mirrors produce the repeating geometric patterns. A moving light source (led flashlight) is projected on the cube producing the dazzling animation effect on the multiple reflections.
Rose quartz stars come in a variety of sizes and clarity. Available here:
From Etsy: BUY NOW: Rose Quartz Stars
Note: this site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated
Diasterism in Rose Quartz: illuminate this polished quartz sphere from behind to reveal a six point star with a center that moves with the light source. The rayed star is form of chatoyancy, where the light is scattered by microscopic parallel crystal fibers that grew within the quartz. This is similar to tiger eye chatoyancy, but here the fibers grew along the three different directions of the main crystal symmetry. Such asterisms are more commonly seen in sapphire and ruby gemstones, but can be found in much larger specimens of rose quartz like this one.
Visit the artist's wepage here:
Rafael ParraToro: Kinetic Moire Artwork
Note: this site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated
Kinetic Boom!- a spectacular Moiré kinetic art piece by artist/engineer/innovator Rafael Parra-Toro @parratoro which creates motion animation using the barrier-grid technique on a slab of acrylic. Stripes on the front form effects of constructive and deconstructive interference with the interlaced colorful image printed on the back to create motion as the viewer’s perspective changes.
Get these new liquid filled tops here:
From Amazon: BUY NOW: LavaStorm Spin Top
Note: this site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated
Liquid “LavaStorm” Spin Top: under centripetal acceleration liquids will flow and separate into concentric bands with cylindrical surface boundaries parallel to the axis of rotation, the most dense liquid on the outermost ring and least dense towards the center axis. Wonderful physics to explore with this new toy from GoliathGames
From Etsy: BUY NOW Ancient Compass Replica
Note: this site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated
South Pointing Spoon: a replica of one of the earliest known magnetic compasses. From the Han Dynasty- about 200 AD.
Get the print files here:
From Makerworld,con: Download NOW: Fixed Center Fidget
or buy one printed here:
From Etsy: BUY NOW: Fixed Center Fidget
Note: this site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated
Fixed-Center Kinetic Sculpture: a blue sphere is connected to the base by a series of linkages- interestingly, no matter how the links are manipulated the ball stays centered above the base. Key design principle: every hinge in the linkage assembly has an axis that passes through the center of the sphere. An amazing 3D print creation by Big Sky Design on makerworld.
This inexpensive kit available here:
From Etsy: BUY NOW: Hyperbolic Hole Kit
Note: this site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated
Hyperbolic Holes: a straight rod, in this case a pencil, glides through a symmetrical pair of curved holes. The design is based on the hyperboloid, the 3D ruled surface traced by an offset rotating diagonal line. This device is sold as an inexpensive kit to assemble yourself, and includes a motor with geared drive and pre-cut pieces. The pencil is my addition- sharpened to just the right size to clear the curved openings.
Some minor assembly required- get this amazing kit here:
From Amazon: BUY NOW: Moving Rings Vibrational Energy KIt
Note: this site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated
Vibrational Energy Kit: shaking a stick at certain frequencies and amplitudes can set rings into motion and even have them defy gravity. Essential elements of this STEM exploration kit include a DC motor with an offset weight, AA batteries, and a variable resistor with a knob to allow adjustment of motor speed. A wonderful device to explore the surprising nature of energy transfer- produced by Melissa & Doug Innovation Academy STEM kits.
Available here:
From Naef: BUY NOW: Naef Spin
Split Sphere Spin Top: this finely crafted wooden top spins in a stable fashion as long as it does not tilt from the vertical more than a few degrees. If the top does lean over centripetal acceleration will pull the halves apart which then roll in a circle due to conservation of angular momentum. The second video shows the process in slow motion. A simple and elegant design by Keira Seto sold by Swiss toy manufacturer Naef.
Get similar fidget stars here:
From Etsy: BUY NOW: Fidget Star with Handle
Note: this site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated
Fidget Star: 15 nested and captured 12-point stars create this kinetic art manipulation toy with oddly satisfying sound. Each star is trapped within the next through an indentation design with 3D printing.
Get these 99.9% pure element Bi 83 cubes here:
From Amazon: BUY NOW: Bismuth Element Cube
Many combinations of strong neodymium magnets will work, here are the versions I used:
From Amazon: BUY NOW: Cylindrical Neodymium Magnet
Bismuth levitation artwork and demonstrations available here:
From Amazon: BUY NOW Magnetic Levitation Sculptures
Note: this site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated
Bismuth Diamagnetic Levitation: Element 83 (bismuth) is the most diamagnetic of the elements*. Here a small neodymium magnet is made to float between two 99% pure bismuth 10mm cubes which are held in precise configuration by friction with the parallel walls of the acrylic assembly I made. Diamagnetic substances only have magnetic fields of their own when placed in an external magnetic field from another source- here the tiny cube magnet supplies the field. Diamagnetic fields are pretty weak though so a powerful cylindrical neodymium magnet sits above the cubes and is adjusted to help lift the tiny cube magnet against gravity. *except for a special form of carbon known as pyrolytic graphite.