This is a fun product with lots of uses... Sure,  you can cast a great-looking hemisphere with gelatin, as shown above, and the complete instructions are provided with every mold.  The mold is about 2 times the volume of a real human brain.  This is great around Halloween or when someone you know gets a degree related to the brain sciences (or finishes a neuro rotation, passes the boards, comps, survives brain surgery, etc.).  We didn't use the mold for that purpose, however,  and customers continue to tell us great stories about these molds.

It all started when we were looking for some brain bookends.  We decided to get these molds and cast some bookends ourselves with plaster...They worked great!  Then, customers started looking at these molds, and off they went to use them in a variety of ways for teaching.  Hey, we're into teaching resources at Red Reef, so read on.

Here are some of the projects we've heard about...

During Science Fair time, some of our customers have made inexpensive models of the brain with plaster or modeling clay.  This is a GREAT hands-on project in the classroom, also,  and nearly any age child can participate in the project.

The cortical lobes can be illustrated by using different colored modeling clay.

Functional areas of the brain can be illustrated by the same technique.

Any kind of "special" features can easily be added to the hemisphere, and it's only limited by you're imagination.  For instance; customers have placed string licorice in the interior surface of the mold before casting with gelatin.  In this manner, the surface vascular system can be visualized (especially in regions like the central/lateral sulcus--It really looks cool...).

The Glowing Squish Brain is just what you'd expect to see on prop shelves for CSI Vegas/Miami. Each 5-1/4" long silicone rubber brain is disturbingly soft and squishy and glows in the dark (after you charge it up with some light).  It comes in its own net bag as a means of storage, with a small loop to hang it on  something, if desired.  The tag shown on the right of the image identifies the glowing squish brain as a "Glow in the Dark Squish Brain", just for those individuals that need printed confirmation of what they see... The silicone material is non-toxic and the brain is large enough that small rugrats won't ingest it (see toppers below...). 

Brainy Pencil Toppers

Ok, let's talk about pencils for a minute.  Good while they have erasers on one end; pretty much worthless when they don't.  You have a couple of options.  Either get the pyramidal-shaped replacements like all the geeks have, or use the stylish pencil topper shown at the left.  As you use the brainy topper/eraser it erodes without a lot of dust, and better yet, it begins to resemble the neocortical pathology indicative of Alzheimer's or Picks disease.  The toppers are sold in bags of 10 pieces in assorted colors.  Our lawyer has informed us that these toppers can be a choking hazard for young children, so, if you have an orally fixated kid (or if you're orally fixated yourself) you're on your own...

Wind-Up Walking Brain

The Walking Brain wind-up will keep you busy for hours...wind it up, put it on a solid surface, and it will walk away on its two black plastic feet. Great for lab meetings, jury selections/deliberations, blind dates, job interviews, etc.  The walker will catch the attention of young and old.  Measures 2.5" x 2" x 2".
   Recently, one of our customers wrote us and said that you can take the feet off the walker and stick the rubber brain part on the end of a medium-sized flashlight...Yep; works great --kept us busy during the hurricanes.

Totally Gross Sticky Brain

Our buyer is proud of his new find...The rest of us, however, are less than thrilled.  Actually, we're all planning ways to super glue several sticky brains to strategic parts of his body while he takes his daily nap.  These sticky brains are just that.  They are soft, squishy, slimy,  totally gross, silicone-rubber-like items that have no socially redeeming value(s).  Kids, however, absolutely love these things, and will instinctively come up with hundreds of creative things to do with them (you really don't want to know...).  So, be forewarned that a sticky brain might show up in your oatmeal flakes.  Each brain is sold in a plastic wrapper (which makes our shipping people very happy), and  measures about 1 1/4" x 1 1/2" .  The ventral side of the brain has an impressive diencephalon and cerebellum.
   Like the above pencil toppers, our lawyer has informed us that these sticky brains can be a choking hazard for young children.  So, if you're handing these brains out to strange kids (adults) that are prone to swallowing disgusting slimy rubber things, you're on your own...Call 1-800-GET-MEDS-FOR-THAT-KID(ADULT)!

The Brain Cap

The Brain Cap is a great alternative to those unsightly, faded, commercialized, Nike/Adidas/Old Navy/etc. caps that just barely made it through the summer.  Colorful, anatomically correct,  brain image on the outside;  Flip up the brim and expose the words, "Think, think, think..."  The Cap is  made of 100% cotton material and has a high-quality interior sweat-band rim and liner.  Adjustable, one size fits all.
    We only ask that you don't wear the cap backwards (as all the Gen-X folks do...) -- You will look like a fool with your frontal and occipital lobes reversed...

Brain T-Shirt

The Brain T-Shirt is made by 3B Scientific, the company that manufactures many of our lecture-grade brain models and sensory models. This highly-detailed silk-screened T-Shirt has a full-color image of the brain on the front.  Labeled structures are:  Optic chiasm, Trochlear N., Olfactory N., Oculomotor N., Midbrain, Pons, Trigeminal N., Facial N., Vestibulocochlear N., Abducens N. Superior cerebellar peduncle, Inferior cerebellar peduncle, Middle cerebellar peduncle, Glossopharyngeal N., Vagus, N., Hypoglossal N., Olive, Medulla, Accessory N., Corticospinal Tract.  The T-Shirt is a white Hanes "Beefy-T" 100% pre-shrunk cotton Polo neck style  (machine washable, warm, tumble dry).  Available in Large and X-Large sizes.

Front T-Shirt Image

Incredible Growing Brain

This is a fun product that allows anyone to "grow" a brain.  When you remove the brain from the package it measures about 1.5" square.  To "grow" the brain it is placed in room temperature water (distilled is the best) and allowed to expand.  Over the course of about 48-72 hours the brain takes the approximate shape and size of a brain*.   The hydrated brain can then be left in a jar, or allowed to dry.  When it is allowed dry the brain shrinks to its original compressed size.

 The "growing brain" is a great classroom project, because kids love to keep track of its growth.  It's even great out of the classroom...These expanded brains look fantastic next to the toaster oven or FAX machine.

 The blister-package has a fact sheet with "Incredible Brain Facts" (did you know that different kinds of experiences change the brain physically?  -- Brain Fact #4). 
 

* We think the growth of the brains has something to do with local water purity, so, the size of your finished brain may vary because of your local water conditions.  For instance, there seems to be something about New Jersey water that affects the growth of the brains.  Or, maybe, it has something to do with the people in New Jersey that try to grow the brains...hmmmm...