22 Best Gifts for Physicists in 2024

10 min read

Last updated: September 13th, 2024

Physicists are tough to find gifts for. They tend to want things that are practical yet unique and a little nerdy. Being a huge physics fan myself, I wanted to assemble this list of gifts my physicist friends would love. This collection will show them that you understand their love of physics and support them in their passions.

This list is a compilation of my favorites from around the internet. Some are our own Genius Lab Gear inventions and some we’re just jealous we didn’t think of first! Some external links in this page are from affiliates, which means that any purchase of the items after clicking the link will result in a small monetary referral fee paid back to Genius Lab Gear at no cost to you. We appreciate your support which allows us to continue inventing and testing the best tools for scientists on the planet!

1. The Pocket Physicist wallet ruler and equation reference

The first words from your physicists' mouth will be "Where did you find this?!" They will never forget you or this unique gift. They will carry this credit card-sized physics pocket tool with them every day for a lifetime. We even laser-engraved the backside full of fundamental physics equations, physical constants, and unit conversions. See the product page for a full list of features we've packed in!

You can also add a custom logo to this for events, networking, or promotional giveaways! Custom orders start at 100 pieces - just email us for more info.

Available from our website or from Amazon.

The Pocket Physicist wallet ruler tool

The Pocket Physicist at Genius Lab Gear

The Pocket Physicist from Amazon

P.S. We also have versions specifically for Chemists and Engineers if those are a better fit for the person you have in mind!

2. Novium Hoverpen 2.0

You guessed it: this floating pen is controlled by magnets, something only physicists truly understand! The pen's magnetized ring construction suspends it in place, giving it a "floating in space" effect. The body of the Hoverpen 2.0 is made from a single piece of aircraft-grade aluminum, imbuing it with a sense of high-end craftsmanship that is uncommon in pens. It's the ideal geek present for both home and office!

Check the price on Amazon.

3. Physics Word Magnets for the fridge or office

Science-themed gifts are rarely as entertaining and enduring as our science-themed word magnet sets! We recently launched these to encourage creativity and self-expression in labs, classrooms and offices. Each specialty pack comes with 144 tiles carefully designed by a PhD in that field for technical accuracy and tacit absurdity.

The Physics Word Magnet set was designed with help from professional physicists, who chose words to make it both science-y and humorous. These are just plain fun!

Also now available on Amazon.

4. Space Base Board Game

The Space Base Board Game is a simple space-themed family game with a focus on numerical strategy and probabilities where only one Space Base commodore gets promoted to U.E.S. Admiral of the Fleet! The job is to draft new ships into your fleet so they can patrol the 12 sectors you oversee. Gain enough influence and you might even get promoted to Admiral! Space Base is a terrific space game that is exciting for the whole family, combining science and math aficionados with board game enthusiasts.

Space-Base-Board-Game

Check the price on Amazon.

5. Subatomic: An Atom Building Game

This game has "chemistry" in the title but subatomic particles are firmly in the realm of physicists and solid-state chemists (which is kind of physics, anyway).

This unique card game gives you the building blocks of atoms which you collect to create atoms of different elements. It even includes details like "up quarks", "down quarks" and photons.

Subatomic is always a hit when at least 1 person in the game is a Physics lover and can explain what the heck is going on to everyone else!

Check the price on Amazon.

6. Bluetooth-enabled Tesla Coil and Speaker

I recently visited the Nikola Tesla museum in Belgrade and got to experience the "zap" of quite a large Tesla coil firsthand! It's now a classic experiment recognized by any physicist or physics major which generates sparks (arcs) that act like lighting around the top sphere.

With this little Tesla Coil physics gadget, you can have one on your desk to play with when you need a little creative break or "shock" to your system! This one even comes fully assembled, so there's no need to fuss with soldering and lost pieces.

Check the price on Amazon.

7. Rocketbook Matrix cloud-connected reusable paper notebook

Physicists do a lot of work both on paper and with software. Rocketbook finally solved the problem of merging your hand-written notes into your favorite digital services. You simply use their app to take a photo of your pages of notes and the QR code and marked symbols on each page trigger the app to send the digitized page to any of the 9 pre-set digital destinations you choose. This includes OneNote, Evernote, Google Drive, Dropbox, and even specific emails. Want a shortcut to send notes via email straight to your colleague or boss? This is what you’re looking for.

The Rocketbook Matrix is my personal favorite because it's designed for more technical work. It's got 30 pages of graphing paper and one regular lined page for taking notes, plus a built-in ruler on the inside cover. Did I mention they are reusable? Use their "Pilot Frixion" pens and then wipe the page with a damp cloth after uploading your notes to use it all over again (and win one for the environment!).

Check the price on Amazon.

8. Physics Necktie

This physics necktie is the ideal finishing touch for a work outfit, and it gives your favorite physicist the unique blend of physics and fashion that they've been dying for. This fun gift for physics lovers has physics equations and can be worn for nearly any occasion. Crafted in 100% microfiber, you can be certain that this physics necktie will impress no matter where they go.

Check the price on Amazon.

9. Seven Brief Lessons on Physics

Seven Brief Lessons on Physics is a wonderful, brief book about physics' most captivating wonders. It explains the basic concepts of physics and major breakthroughs in the field over the years in such an effortlessly poetic way. And it's written by a renowned theoretical physicist, Carlo Rovelli. Although this book is created for a general audience, it is a book about the thrill of discovery that will excite the physicists in your life.

Check the price on Amazon.

10. Lab Coat Pocket Protector

Ink-stained shirts and equations describing the universe go hand in hand like stars and galaxies. But fret not, my dear physicist, for we have devised a clever solution to safeguard your lab coats and shirts from the relentless ink attacks.

The venerable Pocket Protector became a cultural icon in the 1960's and 1970's, but somewhere along the way the newer generation of STEM researchers forgot about them. Physicists need these back in their labs to stay organized, stay efficient, protect their work clothes, and finish their experiments without being late to lunch. So we researched and tested every type ever made to methodically solve each problem and come up with this refreshed design.

Available in spruce green, sapphire blue, and faded pink - the top 3 colors voted on by our fans! You can even get it from our Amazon page if that's easier.

pocket protector gift for physicists and STEM professionals

Check the price on Amazon.

11. Breakfast with Einstein: The Exotic Physics of Everyday Objects

This interesting book about quantum physics will give the brainiac in your life something fun to chew on. Chad Orzel took a topic that most people find difficult to engage with and turned it into an informative and entertaining book. Breakfast with Einstein provides a thorough grasp of quantum physics and physics concepts, along with real-life examples that illustrate the concepts in unique ways that will help you remember them and communicate them to other young physicists.

Check the price on Amazon.

12. Great Physicists: The Life and Times of Leading Physicists from Galileo to Hawking

For a more deeply technical book that graduate physics students or professors would enjoy, this biographical montage of great physicists will make a unique coffee table book to pick up in small doses when they need a break to get some inspiration.

The Great Physicists book lets you flip through the major milestones that build the foundational physics we use today, while sprinkling in some behind-the-scenes anecdotes of how they happened. It pulls out the math, theory, and principles of each discovery as well as the humans behind them. Learning about your heroes in small doses is a great way to get on your feet again when your latest theory didn't pan out!

Check the price on Amazon.

13. Levitating magnetic plant holder

For a little physics-themed zen, a floating plant makes for a relaxing touch to a physics student's desk when the stress of school hits.

This fun gadget uses a series of magnets to levitate a plant holder. It can hold almost one pound of weight up there - note that it doesn't include a plant. Any little succulent from Home Depot will do great in here!

Check the price on Amazon.

14. Observatories set

A subtle nerdy touch to a physicist's Christmas Tree, this 4-ornament set of four influential orbiting observatories makes for an excellent holiday-themed gift. The Hubble, Chandra, Compton and Spitzer telescopes have changed the way we view our solar system. Let them orbit your tree this Christmas!

15. Albert Einstein Bobblehead

Albert Einstein, widely regarded as the greatest scientist of the twentieth century, transformed science with his revolutionary theories of space, time, mass, motion, and gravitation. This Einstein bobblehead stands over 8 inches tall and is made of high-quality, heavyweight polyresin; each one is hand-painted, making each unique. Let this bobblehead give inspiration to the physicist in your life as it stands on their desk, table, counter, or dresser.

Check the price on Amazon.

16. Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman! (Adventures of a Curious Character)

This might be the best-selling book about a physicist of all time. Really, anything Richard Feynman writes will make a thoughtful gift for your physics student. Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman! is filled with funny, clever, and surprisingly inspiring stories about the late, great educator and science communicator. It is made up of a series of anecdotes and stories and spans Richard Feynman's life from his youth through the late 1970s.

I've never had a book make me laugh out loud so many times. It's an insight into how his brain works and the absurd lens with which he sees the world.

Check the price on Amazon.

17. The Pleasure of Finding Things Out: The Best Short Works of Richard P. Feynman

I recently read this enjoyable little book while on vacation in bits and pieces and one quote especially stuck with me: “The thing that's unusual about good scientists is that while they're doing whatever they're doing, they're not so sure of themselves as others usually are. They can live with steady doubt, and act on that, all the time knowing it's only maybe.”

The book is a collection of the most brilliant things that physicist Dr. Feynman wrote himself or said in interviews, and it really gets you thinking about many aspects of life. Internalizing the way he questions everything is the big takeaway that makes this book an essential read for any physicist or graduate physics student.

Check the price on Amazon.

18. Atomic Symbol Lapel Pin

This atomic symbol lapel pin is a unique gift for your favorite physicist to showcase their passion for what they do. Made from high-quality metal, this pin lends a whimsical touch to lab coats, professional attire at conferences, and even everyday wear.

Check the price on Amazon.

19. rOtring or Staedtler Mechanical Pencil

Mechanical pencils are considered a daily essential for physicists. They let you precisely draw diagrams for homework or professional work with the option to make fine adjustments with the eraser. In the new digital age, mechanical pencils are still required but physicists often find themselves using touch screens as well.

That’s why my new favorite is the rOtring 800 Retractable Mechanical Pencil, (0.5 mm). This one turns from a pencil to a stylus on the fly, and also ensures the tip isn’t poking holes in your pocket all day like most other models. This is truly the top-end mechanical pencil and will make a special gift.

Check price on Amazon

Staedtler is another brand much-loved by physicists. This model is cheaper and will last a long time, but just isn’t convertible to a stylus. You can’t go wrong with either one.

20. JSWT Earrings

The recently launched James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) is dazzling astronomers with gorgeous images of the galaxy. The key to its sharpness is it's gold-plated hexagonal mirror array. These beautiful mini-versions of the mirror from Science Socks also make for dazzling earrings for any physicist.

21. Subscription to AI-powered Research and Writing Software (SciSpace)

Physicists have to keep track of a huge amount of information to complete their research and write new papers. Luckily, AI is now ready to help! SciSpace is a new software tool that combines AI search engines with reference/bibliography management to quickly get answers to highly technical questions - all sourced from peer-reviewed journals.

The Copilot feature is my favorite! It can scan those clunky PDF files to make summaries and even pull tables out into an editable format! That would have saved me hundreds of hours in grad school...The other neat thing is that it lets you take notes on every journal article, link it to that file, and search your notes later with the AI engine.

The best move here is to gift them a 1-year subscription! Make sure to use my ambassador code “DEREK40” to save 40% on the first year. Just create an account here with your email, and then print out the login details to put into a gift box for the big day! They can move the account to their email address right after.

SciSpace Subscription

22. Physics Gift Bundle

If you can't decide by now, just get them all! Seriously, we put together a Physics Gift Bundle just to make it easy for you. It includes the Pocket tool and Word Magnets from above, plus a fun Marie Curie sticker. You'll save over 20% by bundling them together, so consider this decision made!