Science Reviews

I found another bug house made by Tweber and bought it in hopes it would hold up a little better for a 7 year old's adventures. It has held up great and he has had it for 2 summers--the mesh is cricketproof(which means no escapees inside the house)! It also has glow in the dark trim for our warm summer night firefly catching adventures. Look for Tweber products---they really are durable---and don't forget a butterfly net!

If you want to spend limited money just to see if a youngster will take an interest, this product isn't a bad way to go. That's especially so if you don't have a lot of time to first become knowledgable on the topic. One website recommends a 60mm refractor telescope (like this one) for rank beginners.

One caution about telescope claims generally: Although most products brag about the maximum available power (say, 525x like this one), the clarity at such powers (at least in this price range) isn't very good and is useful for only bigger, brighter objects like the moon. Don't buy a telescope based only on a claimed maximum power. A more practical maximum power will be closer to 175x at this price range, according to one website and my experience.

The good news is there is plenty to see at powers of 35x to 175x. This product is good in that it has 4 different eyepieces in the 35x-175x range, providing reasonable versatility. In December 2001, I could see shadows cast by craters on the moon, Saturn and its ring, and Jupiter with 4 of its moons. Granted, Saturn & Jupiter are especially visible this time of year. A gripe: At 175x, fine directional adjustments require a little patience due to a little looseness in the mounting mechanism. An adult can do it, but can an 11 year-old? I don't know yet. It's not really a problem at 35x, 56x & 78x.

Recommendations: An adult should do the initial setup and align the finderscope, which acts like a sighting scope on a rifle. Stay at the lower powers until the youngster gets familiar with it. Try it out in daylight first (just don't try to look at the sun!!!), then at big nocturnal objects like the moon.

One other important consideration: If you are purchasing for a middle teenager or adult, don't mess with (...inexpensive)-class telescopes from all-purpose stores. Instead, research any number of good internet websites, seek help from a local astronomy club, and then go to a specialty store. (...)

Star Trek Pinball is no exception. It is fun, but the shelf life isn't very long. You will install it, play it a few times and then forget it.

The graphics are good but there isn't much that Star Trek can add to video pinball.

Overall, as a Trek collector, I would pick this up, but don't expect to play it often.

It's far easier to use than a normal microscope and allows her brothers to see without crowding or fighting!!

My only complaint is that the light is weak and spotty. I would have liked a brighter, more even light.

But it's hard to complain about anything beyond that. The package is very full. Lots of slides and sample containers are provided. There are a couple of prepared slides to get your budding scientist started right out of the box.

The "Maxscope" itself seems to be quite durable, but the accessories are fragile and require some care. But it's not meant for young children...and that's clearly labeled on the package.

A worthy investment at a good price. If only I could get a big telescope for what we paid!!

The International Space Station Figure is more durable but his backpack will not stay on. The pegs that hold it on are not well made and loose their grip into the figre after only a few removals. His helmet is hard to "snap" onto the figure but stays on better and is better made.

The paint job on each figre is a specke of white on a greyish background and this doesn't show on the internet images. The joints on both figures are getting very loose and are now hard to stand up.

They are cool looking but now on day three the Apollo figre has so much epoxy glue all over him to hold him together. The toy could be much better made by resembling hoses on the chest in a more molded way and by attaching the helmet onto a taller cuff around the neck.

The International Space Station astronaut is a little more durable and the helmet does not pop off as easily and seems better designed.

The small image of the astronauts on this site does not show the speckle paint job on both of them. It is a white specke on a grey background color. It looks wierd.

My son likes them but they are frustrating for him to play with. He loves astronauts and I wish there was a more durable yet realistic toy available.

Our kids have enjoyed this set and come back to it often to do one more experiment.

So, we're trying to figure out how much a "scoop" would be, but haven't been able to do so. Very frustrating. Wish they would have charged me a little more and provided the scoop! (It's not listed in the parts listing, they just don't give it!)