The Perpetually Rotating Solar Globe.

Developed by a team of physicists, this is the globe that harnesses light and the earth's magnetic pull to rotate continuously, without cords, batteries, or human intervention. Three photoreceptors inside the globe gather incandescent light or indirect sunlight to power an internal drive. This mechanism interacts with the earth's magnetic field, providing the torque to spin the globe. The globe is suspended in a clear liquid inside a clear acrylic shell, creating a frictionless environment (much like the earth's) that enables the globe to rotate steadily and silently at a gentle pace. The acrylic shell can spin 360º in any direction yet the globe itself will always remain upright and in proper alignment. The globe comes with an acrylic stand but it will rotate on most other surfaces, including your hand. The 8 1/2"-diameter globe portrays a political map of the world labeled with 3,500 place names, including continents, countries, cities, and bodies of water. 12" H x 8 1/2" Diam. (12 3/4 lbs.)