If your dad is of the geeky persuasion, he might like something a little different for Father's Day.
$120
We don't think this TARDIS bag is, in fact, bigger on the inside -- we Earthlings are bound by the laws of physics, after all -- but it's capacious enough for a 14-inch laptop or a bunch of gear, and even has a zippered pocket for valuables.
Kitchen Mysteries: Revealing the Science of Cooking by Hervé This
US$9.99 to US$16.26
From Maillard reactions to protein binding, cooking is all about chemistry. Father of molecular gastronomy Hervé This uses kitchen science to illustrate scientific concepts.
Updated:Caption:Michelle StarrPhoto:Columbia University Press; Glass beakers-set image by Lilly_M, CC BY-SA 3.0
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Apollo Cockpit necktie
$30
A tie in space wouldn't be an ideal situation, but what about a tie for space? This silk tie has been screen printed with images from the Apollo Operations Handbook Block II Spacecraft, 1969, so you can familiarise yourself with cockpit controls with no one ever the wiser.
There are few things that say "dad" more than a thing that does other things. Like, for instance, a handsome titanium ring that conceals a comb, bottle opener, straight blade, serrated blade and teeny, tiny saw.
Stomping turtles and mushrooms and rescuing princesses (who are never even in the right castle anyway) is exhausting work. Pep up between rounds with a cup o' joe from your favourite ... plumbing pipe mug. It's also available as part of an ace Mario combo pack with a T-shirt, poster and coaster set.
If your dad isn't the jewellery-wearing type, we bet he carries keys. Everyone carries keys. The utili-key looks like a key and hangs off a keychain like a key, but it does a lot more than a key. It opens up to reveal a micro screwdriver for eyeglasses, Phillips-head and flat-head screwdrivers, a straight blade, a serrated blade and a bottle opener. No comb, though. That moustache is just going to have to cope.
Does your dad like toys? Sign him up for mystery geeky care package Nerd Block. Every month, it ships a T-shirt and five or six random toys. Alas, you can't put a timer on it, though, so you'll have to remember to cancel it when you think he's had enough presents. You meanie, you.
Based on the watch seen in the third season of the new Doctor Who series, episodes eight and nine ("Human Nature" and "The Family of Blood"), this watch won't store any memories or DNA. It can tell the time, though.
If you have a bit of cash to throw around, why not get your dad his very own collection of the periodic table? This stunning case includes samples of all 92 naturally occurring elements. If you're not quite so flush, maybe you could get him started by making him a periodic table display cabinet instead.
Updated:Caption:Michelle StarrPhoto:The Element Collection
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Jedi bathrobe
$34.99
Even Jedi knights need to chillax, and with a soft, warm, fleecy bathrobe like this, it's hard not to. If your dad is a little more evil, though, maybe he'd prefer something in Sith colours? Or maybe Star Wars isn't his thing at all, in which case you should have a browse here and see if his geek flavour is represented.
While he's putting up his feet in his luxurious bathrobe, he could be sipping on something golden and malted out of a fine glass. This set is etched with the house sigils for Targaryen, Lannister, Stark and Baratheon.
These lined and blank Lego-themed Moleskine notebooks have a flat Lego brick attached to the front. When your dad isn't doodling, he could be having a tiny, brain-relaxing build session.
Field's metal — or Gallium — has a very low melting point: 29.77°C, below human body temperature, so it can melt in your hand. This kit to create a spoon that will melt when you stir a hot beverage strikes us as a particularly dad-like practical joke. Note: Gallium is not safe to drink.
Updated:Caption:Michelle StarrPhoto:Gallium crystals image by Foobar, CC BY-SA 3.0
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Porsche Tec Flex Steel Weave Ballpoint pen
From €195 ($265)
The body of this pen is made out of a material used in Porsche's racing cars, a flexible metal weave. It flexes together when the pen is clicked. If you hate it when people obsessively click pens, this pen is probably not a good idea ... but it's pretty danged stylish.
Pocket microscopes are good for a whole bunch of things — including fun family learning times. This model comes with 26x-130x zoom magnification, an LED, an SXGA camera with a 1280x1024 resolution and a USB so you can see what's on the microscope on the computer screen in real time.
A manly man needs manly jammies — none of this checked flannel nonsense. With a set of silk cotton Suitjamas, your dad will sleep in the style he deserves.
