Molecules serves up stunning chemistry lessons

Molecules is the perfect gift for the science-curious teenager in your life. As with all iOS apps, this interactive chemistry app can be gifted by email from your own iTunes account. Molecules is from Theodore Grey, author of The Elements, aka "the most beautiful periodic table in the world" (also available in iPad format).

The 3D rendering of molecules is both visually pleasing and more scientifically accurate than the static stick-and-ball models we saw in chemistry class. From humble sodium chloride, or table salt, to the nucleotides that make up our DNA, this app allows the user to play around with the very structures that make up the universe.

Depending on the chemical bonds holding various elements together, it is possible to pull and stretch the molecular structure to get a better understanding of how they work.

This is accompanied by 180-degree high-resolution images of all sorts of compounds, both organic and manufactured. It is also packed with information, for example the chemical differences between natural and synthetic vanilla. In fact, don’t give this to your kids, keep it for yourself.