Curiosity Box is a subscription box from VSauce - a popular YouTube channel featuring topics such as science, philosophy, technology, gaming, and culture. As of 2022, they have joined forces with MEL Science, maximizing their impact on brain health. This limited-edition box ships quarterly, and once it sells out, you can't get it again.
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First Impressions
I am a complete science nerd. With a degree in medical technology, I sought out all of the science classes I could as a student and enjoy helping out in those classes as an ISA at my school! Because I have such a passion for science, I am always on the lookout for ways to incorporate it into my daily life (along with my boys' lives). So when I stumbled upon Curiosity Box I just had to see what it was all about! Awesome for adults, a typical box includes premium science toys, experiments, and collectibles. What did I think about this curation? Read below to see!
What's Inside The Box
Up first, we received a postcard with all of this month's contents presented. Utilizing real life photos of each item, it includes a short descriptive blurb and funny phrases.
Also included was a booklet containing in-depth info on each of the included items. With short bursts of information followed by scientific explanations, this guide is packed with really good stuff!
Curiosity Bricks: Zinc, Aluminum, Brass, & Steel
As a mother of two boys, you can bet I have a few thousand Lego bricks strewn about my house. While they don't build as often as they used to, I am still personally obsessed with those building kits and find myself drooling over the new bouquet sets they have for sale! While not Lego brand, this month, the Curiosity Box sent a set of four bricks. These bricks were precision-milled on a CNC lathe out of zinc, aluminum, brass, and steel. With exactly the same dimensions, it was super cool to see the different colors of metals and feel the weight differences. They stack together like regular bricks but aren't actually compatible with real Lego bricks (Charlie tried). Not only do these bricks look cool, but my sons found the information about each metal fascinating and loved reading about how steel is made, especially since my husband works at an iron ore mine. Though tough to peel out of my kids' hands, I ended up bringing these bricks to school to keep on my desk as a conversation piece during student meetings. Cool!
Nitinol Paperclip
The next item we received was a paperclip made of nitinol. For those who are unfamiliar, nitinol is a shape-memory alloy composed of 40% nickel and 60% titanium, and heat restores it to its original form. Packaged in a fancy little box, this was an interesting inclusion, and my son was very eager to give it a try.
Charlie did his best to twist the paperclip to see it spring back into shape, but it didn't seem to do much. The insert mentioned that nitinol needs to be heated to between 86 and 266 degrees Fahrenheit, and while I'm almost certain our water was within that range, we might need to give it another try.
Omnijump: Six-in-One Marble Solitaire
If you've read any of my previous reviews, you might know that I am game-obsessed. I love hosting and attending game nights and have a daily Wordle competition with my sister-in-law. Though I have close to a hundred games on a shelf in my basement, I was unfamiliar with Omnijump but quickly became a fan. This marble solitaire game was popular in the courts of French kings, and different versions and boards have been passed down through generations. Easy to play, it’s a game of strategy—and it's super fun! The marbles come packaged in a cinch bag, and the board features a hole on the side to easily drop marbles for a speedy pace. What a fun inclusion!
Charlie loves games as much as I do and really enjoyed this one. He started out using the Standard/English board but also enjoyed the other versions. While we have yet to "win" by only having one marble left, we’ve had mini competitions to see who can get the closest!
Illusion Blocks Shirt
I always look forward to the Curiosity shirt of the season, and this month's tee embodies spring with its bright yellow hue. This shirt features a classic optical illusion on the front: are the blocks concave or convex? Mind-boggling! Made of soft fabric, this shirt is really comfy to wear and makes for a great conversation piece. While I paired it with a black skirt and a jean jacket, it is unisex and would look just as good with a pair of jeans.
What is a Color? by Arielle Eckstut & Joann Eckstut
I appreciate that Curiosity Box includes intriguing books each month, and this month's color book was definitely a unique addition to my library. With answers to 47 questions about color, it features fun illustrations and offers tons of information! I especially enjoyed the section on how color affects mood and loved the random trivia it contains.
Illusion Stickers
The last item we received was a set of stickers. Coordinating perfectly with our optical illusion t-shirt, this set of seven stickers features multiple optical illusions for your viewing pleasure. I find these extremely fascinating and am planning to add one to my laptop, but I just can't decide which one I like best. What do you think?
Was This Box Worth It?
The Cost: $60
ACTIVE DEAL: Limited Time Only! Use code MSA25 to get 25% off your first box!CODE: MSA25
Curiosity Box is a deep-thinker's dream, and this was a really interesting curation. Including 6 intriguing and high quality items, this box never leaves me bored! While it didn't seem to have a particular theme in mind, the mix of functional, fun, and educational items really rounded the box out well. While it is geared towards adults, my son had a really fun time checking out the items and reading their scientific definitions as well. I especially liked the bricks, solitaire game, shirt, and stickers. Overall, this was a great curation, and I appreciated all of the items, especially when coupled with the scientific background. This box is a really fun experience, and I can't wait to see what's included in the summer quarter. Bring it on, Curiosity Box!!
More You Should Know
Can you still get this box if you sign up today? Possibly. Only a certain number of boxes are created, so once they are gone, they are gone!
ACTIVE DEAL: Limited Time Only! Use code MSA25 to get 25% off your first box!CODE: MSA25
What do you think about Curiosity Box?
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