All About Potato Chip Science

About the Inventors

Kurzweil & Son, a father-son team of snack food scientists and overseers of the Chip Science Institute (CSI). Allen Kurzweil is the award-winning author of Leon and the Spitting Image, Leon and the Champion Chip, The Grand Complication, and A Case of Curiosities.

His work has been honored by the New York Times, Booksense, Granta, the Guggenheim and Fulbright Foundations, and tons and tons of kids. When he isn’t writing (or testing chips), or thinking about writing (or testing chips), or driving his family nuts about writing (or testing chips), Allen likes to visit schools and libraries to discuss, well, writing (and testing chips). To arrange a school or library visit from Allen, click here.

Max Kurzweil, as you might have guessed, is Allen’s chip-loving son, and the principal beta-taster for all snack research conducted at the Chip Science Institute.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Potato Chip Science?

Here’s the formal definition: the branch of science specifically devoted to the composition, structure, reactions, and properties of thin-sliced, deep-fried tubers, uncooked potatoes, potato chip bags, lids, and tubes.

What does the Potato Chip Science kit contain?

Each bag of Potato Chip Science includes a 96-page instruction book, a digital clock, a sound module, zinc and copper electrodes, a wire connector, a potato propulsion pipe, a special starch knife that’s both child-safe and eco-friendly, 6 chip lids, and accompanying optical stickers. We’ve also included 4 googly eyes, which have no scientific value whatsoever, but are incredibly useful when tricking out a Spuddy Buddy or Chip-Can Gobbler.

What’s in the book itself?

Visit the Chipatorium

The 96-page book provides illustrated step-by-step directions for 29 snacktivities. Each experiment employs our patented M-M-M-M System (see below). In addition, the book is crammed with all sorts of whole brain goodness and chip-related information. That’s why every bag carries a warning label that reads: High in Saturated Facts!

What the heck is the M-M-M-M System?

That’s simple. The first M stands for Materials: what you need. The second M stands for Method: what you have to do. The third M stands for Meaning: what’s going on in the experiment. The final M stands for Munch on This: food for thought about the tests undertaken.

More Food For Thought

Read about the book that inspired the kit

Read about the book that inspired the book that inspired the kit

Listen to Max Kurzweil interview Allen Kurzweil

Listen to an NPR interview with inventor Allen Kurzweil