A bong or rig with a bottom that is flat and flared, like a beaker in a lab. Compared to round-based bongs, which are more susceptible to being knocked over and breaking when accidentally bumped, pieces with a beaker base are extremely stable and unlikely to tip over.
There are two main design schools in the glass industry: scientific and hypnotic glass. While scientific glass prioritizes function over form, heady glass is more artistic and intricate—imagine an abstract Picasso painting that doubles as a dab rig.
Similar to actual laboratory glassware, scientific glass is typically shaped like beakers, Erlenmeyer flasks, and Volumetric flasks. Scientific glass is typically made of borosilicate.Like real labware, scientific glass is almost entirely clear, allowing you to see smoke as it is drawn in and indicating when to clean your piece.
Beaker bases are typically found in scientific glass pieces because they are in line with the idea that function over form.Recepticle bases have a level, erupted base, and tighten as they draw nearer to the mouthpiece. The fact that a beaker base is extremely stable and unlikely to tip over even when bumped is the main advantage.If a bong or rig has a round base, it is much more likely to get knocked over and break if it is put down improperly or accidentally bumped.Even though the styles of heady and science are very different, many pieces combine shapes from both schools of thought.