Electromagnetically Shrunken Quarters

Electromagnetically Shrunken Quarters The man at the carnival held out a minuscule coin. "What I've got here," he said, "is the product of magic... dangerous and bright magic at that." We peered at the coin and then raised an eyebrow. "Actually, it looks like the product of electromagnetic forming." What could the man say after that? Not much really, so we went on to explain the process just as we'll explain it to you. When you were a wee geek, you probably took a coil of wire and wrapped it around a nail. You hooked up each end of the wire to a little 9v battery and then using the resulting electromagnet to pick up paper clips. Well, electromagnetic forming is the same basic concept except blown up to Tesla-like proportions (well, more of a byproduct of Faraday to be precise). In a nutshell, electromagnetic forming is the result of cranking some scary high energy through a coil wrapped around a conductor. The coil gains a wicked magnetic field that's changing quite rapidly and imparts a magnetic field to the conductor via the "magic" of electromagnetic induction. The thing is that these two magnetic fields repel each other in a very violent way. If the power is sufficient and the experiment controlled, the coil explodes and the metal in the conductor is compressed. This all happens in less than 1/100th of a second. A dangerous and bright magic indeed! Product Specifications •Real quarters zapped by 6,000 volts at 100,000 amperes •The process takes less than 1/100th of a second •Size: About diameter of a dime but twice as thick •Yes, it's totally legal. Destroying money is only a crime if done with fraudulent intent. This is just fun science.

DIY Music Box Kit

DIY Music Box Kit Music boxes came to prominence in the 19th Century, but their history dates back a few hundred more years. You see, there was this bell ringing dude who got tired of all the hard work. So, he decided to engineer a device to make his life a little more hip. It was a cylinder with metal studs. Each stud (as the cylinder rotated) operated cams which rang the bells. Further research determined that the first song played on this new system was the theme to Super Mario Brothers! And so that's the first song we made when we got our hands on this awesome little kit (albeit with one note wrong to adjust the key). This music box kit is a bit more open source, though. There are no pins, but a strip of paper, which you punch yourself. That's right, you punch all your own songs! No more listening to "Memory" - it's time for Koji Kondo's greatest hits (the genius behind many of Mario's and Link's most memorable themes). We'd love to chat more, but it's time for us to compose a lullaby for Princess Peach. Click here to download a PDF blueprint of the Super Mario Brothers theme. 'Cause sharing is caring. DIY Music Box Kit In Action!

BioMetal Fiber Walking Robot Inchworm

BioMetal Fiber Walking Robot Inchworm All killer robots have to start somewhere. What will eventually one day be a muscle made of BioMetal Fiber capable of lifting humans into the air and crushing their skulls with one arm must have a beginning. And that beginning is the BioMetal Fiber Walking Robot Inchworm.We love this little walker; read on to find out why! Each BioMetal Fiber Walking Robot Inchworm has one strand of BioMetal Fiber. When current is applied, the fiber heats up and contracts. This pulls the Inchworm's feet apart. When the current is stopped, the fiber cools and expands. Add a little grippy fabric on the bottom of each foot and the spring to return it to its original position, and you can easily see how the little inchworm can walk along most non-slick surfaces. The BioMetal Fiber Walking Robot Inchworm is a great desktop toy, but it could also be the focus point of a killer science fair project. Remember, though, to treat your BioMetal Fiber Walking Robot Inchworm with respect - 'cause when it's great grandson of a killing machine comes around, you'll need all the good references you can get! BioMetal Fiber Walking Robot Inchworm •One strand of BioMetal Fiber is all that it takes to get this inchworm strolling. •The BioMetal Fiber works like muscle fiber - when it heats up, it contracts. •Heat up the fiber by applying electrical current. •A great desk toy and a super awesome science fair project. •The inchworm's single fiber muscle is sort of like a precursor to the muscles in Terminators! •BioMetal Fiber is about 0.15mm in diameter. •Batteries: 2 x AA (not included) •Dimensions: approx. 1.75" x 1.5" x 0.44" (no current) - with a 19" (approx.) leash wire.