14 DAY TRIAL // If you're looking for a magic item that really goes beyond the usual gimmick-ish spirit of most gadgets and you feel like you're ready for a deeply moving experience, you could give the H.M.S. Beagle Stormglass a try. Sounds at least exciting, doesn't it? Having "storm" – a brutal and forceful natural power – and "glass" – the definition of containment – in the same place should raise your interest. So, what's up with this stormglass thing, you might ask.
The principle behind the operation of the stormglass isn't fully understood and has been a mystery ever since 1750, when Admiral FitzRoy and Charles Darwin – his lieutenant – sailed aboard the H.M.S. Beagle and used this device to predict weather changes.
In spite of the (still) hidden nature of the stormglass, it has been proven that this device possesses a very accurate capability to predict changes in weather: while some think that its operation is a response to electromagnetic fluctuations caused by weather or solar storms, the exact description of what's going on inside the glass container isn't at all clear.
We're talking about a mixture of distilled water, potassium nitrate, ammonium chloride, alcohol, and camphor, which changes texture as weather changes. The modifications in the liquid mass are in direct link with the way weather will be in a short while. If the liquid is clear, bright and nice weather is expected; in case the liquid begins to darken, cloudy weather and potential precipitations are to be expected; high humidity and fog are predicted by small dots in the liquid mass while a cloudy liquid with small stars forecast an imminent thunderstorm.
If you're looking at the storm glass during a sunny winter day and you see small stars you'd better prepare your sled as snowfall is close. Crystals forming at the bottom of the liquid indicate oncoming frost while ice-like threads in the upper part of the liquid announce windy weather.
Now, if you're looking to buy such a fascinating piece of magic gadgetry you'd better have some $180 at hand; this stormglass comes in a nifty polished brass enclosure with a hook for easy hanging on a wall and a special chart to help you decipher the various appearances of the liquid. How's your Christmas gonna be? Find out here.
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