Low atmospheric pressure (left) and high pressure (right)
(C)Nol Corporation Co., Ltd.

The Frog Weather Reporter is a serious toy for studying the climate, but it comes in the strange shape of a frog! The frog is actually a modern, eye-catching version of a forecasting device known as a "weather glass." The frog and the umbrella it holds are made out of transparent glass, which is filled with colored water. Changes in atmospheric pressure cause the water level in the umbrella to rise and fall and make it possible to predict whether it will be rainy or sunny. The frog has also been a hit among people who buy it as a decorative piece for their home as well as teachers who purchase it for use in the classroom.

(C)Nol Corporation Co., Ltd.

Newton Style is a popular toy store chain that specializes in educational materials, scientific kits, puzzles, and other hands-on games. A total of eight Newton Style shops are now open around Japan. The store's science kits have been a hit among adults as well as children. Moms and dads who didn't like science when they were young are finding that the subject is not as hard as they thought and that assembling kits and uncovering the secrets to various natural phenomena with their children can be fun.

(Updated in February 2009)