There is nothing quite like a globe to teach your little one some geography as he/she grows up, and here’s a globe that might just be your cup of tea. After all, it is no ordinary globe, being solar powered to keep it perpetually rotating, hence the name 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 globe measures 8.5″ in diameter, where it will also show a political map of the world alongside 3,500 place names which include continents, countries, cities and the seven seas. Expect the Perpetually Rotating Solar Globe to retail for $399.95. Steep, yes, but at least you won’t need to buy any batteries…