Okay, here I am ranting again about how you can do really interesting science with the right insight and guidance even if you don’t have any money. Anyone who still doubts this idea after my last post, just sally forth to Sci-toys. Simon Quellen Field (Doesn’t the name just conjure visions of Newtonian excellence?) runs a great site with a host of very accessible experiments and projects that can be conducted primarily with items found around the household.

And if you happen to find the larder a little shy of rare-earth magnets or something, he offers some nifty kits with almost no mark-up. Even without the kits, the parts lists are simple enough that anyone with enough neural interconnects to rub two sticks together can get ahold of all the critical peices. Check out a few of my favorites:


The Gauss Rifle Magnetic Linear Accelerator:

The ten-minute electric motor:

A simple crystal radio

A Three-penny radio

If you are more inclined to sniff binding glue rather than click mouse buttons, you can get your gadget groove on with his books:

Gonzo Gizmos, and Return of Gonzo Gizmos

Have fun!
-P