There is a chill in the air, and yes, even some snow here in Munich as winter draws close in the Northern Hemisphere, and at this time of the year, you are probably thinking about what gifts to get that special geoscientist in your life! We know finding the kind of gift that can delight and entertain your favourite rock-botherer, lab-denizen, or star-gazer can sometimes be a challenge, so we in the EGU office are back again to help you out with our top 5 gifts for 2025! If you want more ideas, check back on our previous gifts for geoscientists suggestions, including last year’s suggestions (we even have some last-minute gift ideas we came up with during the lockdowns). Please note, the suggestions here come predominantly from Europe, so make sure you choose the location that is most suitable for you for shipping purposes, and where possible, remember to support your local retailers to reduce the carbon impact of your gift giving. This post is not sponsored by any of the gifts we suggest; the EGU staff just like them and want to share them as potential inspiration.
Without further ado, we ho-ho-hope you like our ideas!
5. Computer mats that keep your eyes on the sky!
Computer equipment can often be boring, dominated by a single aesthetic or – even worse – that peeling pad that you got for free or inherited from a conference MANY years ago. Upgrade your workspace with a geoscientifically themed computer mat like this Star Chart mouse pad from Cognitive Surplus! You may notice we have featured items from Cognitive Surplus before, as they are a small, sustainability-minded business that makes attractively designed, science-focused items for your home and workplace, but you can also find items like this in your local Museum shop.
Honestly – she does like the settle mat, she just doesn’t like her photo being taken!
4. A gift for geo-dogs on the go!
Winter gifts aren’t just for humans! Perhaps your geoscientist friend or family member has a furry friend, so why not gift them something this year? My senior dog really likes her dinosaur-themed settle mat (called the Jurassic Bark!) from Taylor and Floof, as it can be rolled up and taken anywhere, and is easily cleaned off with just a wipe. Taylor and Floof also have a commitment to using recyclable packaging in an attempt to make their product more sustainable and ship all over Europe, but you can also find similar gifts in your local pet shops.
3. Keep track of the temperature with a Galileo thermometer!
The changing temperature is on a lot of people’s minds nowadays, and with the rise in misinformation, what better gift to get someone than a visually appealing way to read the temperature themselves: a Galileo thermometer! Not actually invented by Galileo himself, the thermometer is named for a principle Galileo discovered over 300 years ago: thermal expansion. This thermometer functions on the fact that the density of a liquid changes in relation to its temperature. Formed from carefully calibrated bubbles of glass set to a specific density, suspended in a colourless liquid, the heating and cooling of the air causes the bubbles to rise or fall depending on their relative density to the fluid they float in, as it also heats or cools – allowing you to tell the temperature! Galileo thermometers are relatively easy to find and can be a fun and visual introduction to atmospheric physics for the younger scientists in your life. We got ours from our local Museum shop, but they are also widely available online.
2. Home decor made from recycled marine ghost nets
In an era of rampant consumerism, we try and recommend products that we like that we a) already purchased to fit a need and b) are made by companies with a commitment to small, local produce and sustainability – but few companies can claim the level of environmental awareness that Ecotribo can. By working with beach cleaning charities in the UK that collect ghost nets (fishing nets that have been abandoned, lost, or discarded) and other marine plastic waste, they create a range of recycled, small batch plastic home wares like this plant pot, that are not only gorgeous, but are all unique as the plastic content differs in each one. You can even scan the QR code on your pot and find out which beach the plastic came from! For other sustainable home wares, try asking at your local conservation society or garden center.
1. A deep dive into the whispers of the rocks around us!
Not all geoscience books have to be textbooks. In fact, many of our favourites bridge the line between science and story, something that this year’s book recommendation, ‘The Whispers of Rock‘ by Anjana Khatwa exemplifies. In beautiful prose, Anjana shares her own experiences as a geoscientist, weaving them with stories from cultures across the world that show how meaningful the whispers we hear from the rocks can be, not just showing us a hidden history of the world around us, but awakening our own wonder and reverence for the natural world. Read our interview with Anjana about her book here, and head to your local bookseller to pick up a copy!
Honourable mention: an EGU membership!
Yes! This one is harder to wrap, but what would a season gift list be without an EGU membership in your… er… digital stocking?
We may be a little biased, but this is the perfect 2025 gift for that beloved geoscientist in your life. At only €20, you can get them a whole year of access to EGU’s programs, funding, awards, committees, a newsletter, workshops and training AND discounts for publishing with EGU journals and for registration to EGU26. So head online right now to find out how to renew your geoscientist’s EGU membership. And hey, if you want to renew yours at the same time, that’s not such a bad idea.
Happy holidays everyone – and good luck with your gifting!
