Out of this World Gifts

The Illuminates Series

The Illuminates cover everything in the cosmos, from stars and planets to the exploration of space. Written by astronomers and scientists who work at the iconic Royal Observatory Greenwich – big concepts are explained in bite-sized formats, so they’re a perfect gift for armchair astronomers.

Titles in this series are The Sun, Planets, Black Holes, Stars and Space Exploration. All are available for £9.99.

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Gift Guide: Fun with Flags

As well as stocking maps, guides and books about different countries, we also have a wide selection of flags in different sizes. If you are looking for the flag of a particular country, please get in touch.

If you are in search of some fun with flags, here are some great gifts for vexophiles:

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Our favourite games and puzzles this Christmas

It’s time for some festive fun.

Christmas is a great excuse to get family and friends together and play a board game or a puzzle. So clear the table and settle down to one of our favourites: Continue reading Our favourite games and puzzles this Christmas

Stanfords Staff Selects 2017’s best books for bird lovers

It’s been a good year for those with ornithological reading tastes. Here are a few of our favourites: Continue reading Stanfords Staff Selects 2017’s best books for bird lovers

Astronomically Good Gift Ideas

When you have visited everywhere that this magnificent planet has to offer, these books and gifts will help you make the right choices for some interstellar travel gift ideas.

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A taste of Christmas with our favourite Food and Drink Books

‘Tis the season to eat, drink and be merry. Let us take you on a culinary tour of the world as we review 10 food and drink books and select our favourite recipes. Continue reading A taste of Christmas with our favourite Food and Drink Books

5 top animal guests on the Royal Institution’s Christmas Lectures, by Helen Scales

The Royal Institution Christmas Lectures are perhaps best known for the noisy, messy physics and chemistry experiments, performed to demonstrate aspects of cutting edge-science in front of an eager, young audience. In years when the lecturer’s chosen subject is biology – in particular the science of the natural world – these demonstrations often take on a distinctly wilder tone, as menageries of living animals are welcomed into the RI’s world famous lecture theatre.
I delved into the last century of the RI’s biological Christmas Lectures for my book 11 Explorations into Life on Earth, and here’s my pick of the most delightful, intriguing and tricky animal assistants. Continue reading 5 top animal guests on the Royal Institution’s Christmas Lectures, by Helen Scales

13 Journeys Through Space and Time

Colin Stuart introduces his joyous new book 13 Journeys Through Space and Time – Christmas Lectures from the Royal Institution  – a perfect Christmas gift for curious minds.

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