Snatoms: Molecular modeling with magnetic atoms that snap together

Snatoms is an awesome idea from the wonderful Veritasium’s Derek Muller; a man we were proud to link to Sydney until only very recently.  Snatoms is a molecular modeling kit with magnetic atoms that snap together – one of those ideas that it’s sort of surprising that no one has done before. It looks very, very slick.

Snatoms has just launched on Kickstarter and, even as I write, I watched it tick over and meet its $42,000 funding goal.

The Snatoms kit includes six carbon atoms, six oxygen atoms and twelve hydrogen atoms. From these basic building blocks you can build tons of different compounds from water and hydrogen peroxide through to cyclohexane and glucose. The $42 Kickstarter pledge gets you a kit.

Sadly the higher level pledges that involve a field trip or meeting with Derek Muller all involve going to Los Angeles. What happened to Sydney, Derek?

Local sour-grapes aside, if you are into chemistry at all the Snatoms kit is something you have to take a look at.