Why not join us in being a little bit geeky this holiday season? Contrary to popular opinion, the internet isn't just a place for viral videos and cat GIFs.There are loads of websites out there that can help you learn something new, or soak up buckets of interesting information.
And what better way to give your grey matter a stretch than by delving into the endlessly fascinating world of science? Agent Naish offers his top picks.
Science Museum
The Science Museum in London makes a great day out, but their website also makes a great day in. Their 'online stuff' section plays host to a whole collection of videos, games and interactive animations that walk you through how things work and can help teach you some really complex science in easy bitesize chunks. This is a great little site if you want to pass the time and learn something while you're at it!
Codecademy
Have you ever wished you knew more about how exactly a computer can do the things it does? Well it's all about coding, and telling the computer to do the correct thing. Codecademy is an amazing website, which offers completely free, step-by-step tutorials on how to code in many different languages. It's extremely comprehensive and the amount of information packed into this site is staggering. Plus there are a community of learners and experts ready to help you out if you get stuck. You can learn HTML to build your own website, or PHP and Java to start making programs. There are several different types of coding and you can learn them all completely free!
Bite Sci-zed
You can sometimes find some really great resources in rather unusual places. YouTuber Alex Dainis runs her own channel called Bite Sci-zed and regularly uploads videos explaining some quite complicated scientific concepts in a simple and funny way. It's like going back to school with an amazing science teacher who really loves to teach. Alex also likes to answer those niggling questions like why we get 'brain freeze', or how does caffeine affect you? Go forth! Do science!
How Stuff Works
Now this one explains itself! How Stuff Works is a regularly updated site that tells you, well, how stuff works! There are popular articles on the front page which usually have information about what's topical at the moment, but you can also use the search box. You'll find that most big topics are covered and you can quickly start learning about anything from how trains work, or how to build a deck, or how motion control cameras work. Whatever you're curious about, there is a wealth of information here just waiting for you.