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.
(Check out our editorial guidelines to learn more about how we review boxes.)
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 winter 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 fun phrasing.
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!
Orrery Calendar
The first item we received was a page-a-day calendar that shows the daily positions of the planets in our solar system as they orbit the Sun. It comes in a cute little binder that folds open to sit on a desk. The tear-off pages begin in January 2026, so we’ll have to wait a bit before we can put it to use. Each page also includes the phase of the Moon in both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres, which is a really neat touch.
Flipping through it quickly, you can actually watch the planets progress through their orbits over the course of the year—it’s very cool! Since I work at a school, I’ve set this aside to display on my desk next year. I think my students will appreciate this quirky, unique calendar, as it’s probably something they haven’t seen before. Neat!
Erdapfel Coasters
The next item we received was a really cool Erdapfel coaster kit! This unique inclusion came in a charming pentagon-shaped box and was immediately intriguing. The kit includes twelve “coasters” that assemble into a dodecahedral replica of the Erdapfel. For those unfamiliar, the Erdapfel is the oldest surviving globe of the Earth, and this replica reflects geographic knowledge from 1490. North America is absent, and several now-mythical islands are included, which makes it even more fascinating.
Thanks to the foam puzzle pieces, it was easy to assemble, and it looks great displayed on its included stand. While we don’t use coasters much in our house, this was still a fun addition, and the kids really enjoyed putting it together and exploring this piece of historical cartography!
InQ Blocks Puzzle
My youngest son was thrilled with the next inclusion, as he’s a big puzzle lover. This particular puzzle is adapted from block designs used in a prominent IQ test and comes with 80 pattern cards. In my classroom, I have a similar set called “Qbits Junior,” which my students love, but that version only includes cubes—so this one is definitely more challenging.
I tried several of the patterns myself and struggled, but my son had much better luck. Overall, this was a really fun addition and will be especially useful in my classroom—assuming my son decides to share it!
Mobius Scarf
The next item we received was a wearable one! This fleece scarf is cleverly constructed as a Möbius strip. Like all Möbius strips, it has only one continuous side—so if you place your finger on the fabric and trace a line, you’ll cover the entire surface without ever lifting your finger. It’s even more mind-bending because the zipper highlights another feature: when you “cut” the Möbius strip by unzipping it, you don’t end up with two separate halves, but with one longer scarf. It feels like magic!
Living in Minnesota, I’m all about warm gear as we head into winter. This scarf is really cute, featuring light and dark gray fabric with an orange zipper. I also appreciated the little “Inq” charm on the zipper. It’s a genuinely useful item, and I already have it stashed with my snowmobile gear in preparation for the upcoming polar vortex!
Robinson Crusoe: Desert Island Edition
The last item we received was Charlie’s favorite, and honestly one of mine too. I love reading, so I was excited to get this extra-fun edition of Robinson Crusoe. This bright orange “Desert Island Edition” features a hole cut through part of the pages to hold a flint-and-steel fire starter, and it even includes “kindling” pages that can be torn out and used to help start a fire.
My youngest has never read this book before, so I was especially happy to receive this version—he’s really into survival skills and anything outdoorsy. We tested the fire starter, and it worked like a charm, so now it’s time to read! Yay!
Was This Box Worth It?
The Cost: $70
Curiosity Box is a deep-thinker’s dream, and this quarter’s curation was especially fascinating. Featuring five intriguing and high-quality items, this box never leaves me bored! While it didn’t seem to follow a specific theme, the blend of functional, fun, and educational items made for a well-rounded experience. Though it’s geared toward adults, my kids absolutely loved this month’s inclusions and had a blast learning about Geometry, Topology, and Astronomy. My son especially loved the flint and steel, but I appreciated the scarf, coasters, and calendar the most. Overall, this was a fantastic curation, and we enjoyed every single inclusion. I really appreciated how each item was paired with scientific context, making the experience both enriching and entertaining. This box is such a fun adventure—I can't wait to see what’s in store for the spring 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!
What do you think about Curiosity Box?
Please do not enter your email address in the Name field or in the comment content. Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *. Remember to post with kindness and respect. Comments with offensive language, cruelness to others, etc will not be approved. See our full comment policy here.