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Journal of Geek Studies

@jgeekstudies.bsky.social
407 followers 61 following 138 posts

The Journal of Geek Studies is a place for sharing knowledge and #geekness. Come check our #science news, read our #scicomm articles and, maybe, write for us. You can find us at jgeekstudies.org

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Journal of Geek Studies @jgeekstudies.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
Why does Monster Hunter World feel so alive? Because its ecosystems are surprisingly rich. Our authors explore how the game creates a biologist's wonderland through behavior, ecology, and evolution-inspired design. 🦖 #geekstudies #biology #scicomm #mhw #monsterhunter #モンハンワイルズ
jgeekstudies.org
Monster Hunter: World – a biologist’s wonderland
Gabriel Ribeiro de Melo & Helba Helena Santos Prezoto Centro Universitário Academia – UniAcademia, Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais, Brazil. Emails: gacornirm (at) gmail (dot) com; helbaprezoto (at) …
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New Species Podcast @newspeciespodcast.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
There’s a new genus of Staphylinid beetle named after a legend! Thank you Fang-Shuo Hu for introducing us to genus Luffy, and to Rodrigo Salvador for sharing his work on the Journal of Geek Studies @jgeekstudies.bsky.social and why crossovers like these are so important!
open.spotify.com
A Genus and Two New Species of Staphylinids with Fang-Shuo Hu
New Species · Episode
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Ameer Ha @ameerhaio.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
a chemist at a university in the netherlands wrote an actual science paper on whether grog from monkey island could really melt through a metal mug that fast his answer is u'd need an acid way too strong to even exist in water. and his last line is 'don't drink that swill' lol
a chemist at a university in the netherlands wrote an actual science paper on whether grog from monk
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Paul Armstrong @psa.masto.ai.ap.brid.gy · 25/09/2026
Science geekery meets gaming. Analyzing the corrosion of the mugs in Monkey Island by Grog. jgeekstudies.org/2026/09/23/the-sci… #science #Games
jgeekstudies.org
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Konstantinos Dimopoulos @konstantinosd.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
Another major question answered! 'The science of Monkey Island: can grog actually dissolve a metal mug that fast?' Here's what Patrizio Raffa has to say: jgeekstudies.org/2026/09/23/t...
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Patrizio Raffa @patraffa.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
I had really fun writing this semi-serious scientific article! 😃 Thanks a lot to @jgeekstudies.bsky.social for publishing it. I hope you enjoy it
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Journal of Geek Studies @jgeekstudies.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
In #MonkeyIsland, grog can dissolve a metal mug in seconds. ☠️🍺 But how does that work? @patraffa.bsky.social explores the chemistry behind one of gaming's most iconic beverages. 🧪 @rug.nl #GeekStudies #scicomm #retrogaming
jgeekstudies.org
The science of Monkey Island: can grog actually dissolve a metal mug that fast?
Patrizio Raffa ENTEG Institute, Faculty of Science and Engineering, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands. Email: p.raffa (at) rug (dot) nl Download PDF Since its release in 1990 by L…
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Journal of Geek Studies @jgeekstudies.bsky.social · 03/09/2026
Our new article examines how folklore, spirituality, and horror intertwine in Kuon, one of FromSoftware's most intriguing early games. Read it here: jgeekstudies.org/2026/09/02/o... #geekstudies #horrorgames #gamestudies
jgeekstudies.org
Of silkworms and reincarnation in Kuon
Thiago S. Ranzani da Silva Finnish Museum of Natural History, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland. Email: tsrsilv (at) gmail (dot) com Download PDF Oh, I don’t believe in evil, I believ…
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dry @drydesigns.bsky.social · 24/08/2026
Had a lot of fun researching and writing this article! Very grateful to @jgeekstudies.bsky.social for giving me this opportunity.
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Journal of Geek Studies @jgeekstudies.bsky.social · 24/08/2026
👾 New article out! @drydesigns.bsky.social explores how the Digimon franchise blends mythology, signs, and digital imagination to create a unique fictional universe. #GeekStudies #Semiotics #Mythology #AnimeStudies #MediaStudies
jgeekstudies.org
Hey Digimon: myths, semiosis and the Digital World
Francisco Seco Costa dos Santos Silva Independent researcher, Leiria, Portugal. Email: fs.seco (at) outlook (dot) com Download PDF “Hey Digimon, hey Digimon, Monster friends to the boys and girls. …
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Journal of Geek Studies @jgeekstudies.bsky.social · 14/08/2026
A nice article about summer and the ever-present cicadas in Japan, with a nod to the insects' presence in pop culture.
cocoro.faag.co.jp
夏は蝉の声で進んでいく|蝉時雨から鈴虫へ変わる日本の季節 | CoCoRo
セミが鳴き始めると夏を感じ、ツクツクボウシから夏の終わりを知るのはなぜ?蝉時雨の意味や由来、種類ごとの鳴き声、東京と大阪の違い、アニメや海外の反応から、日本人が虫の声で季節を感じる文化を解説します。
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Soh Kam Yung @sohkamyung.bsky.social · 10/08/2026
New from @jgeekstudies.bsky.social . @echinoblog.bsky.social might like this. :-) "While many of these groups have already been analyzed and documented, one phylum of marine invertebrates represented in Pokémon, the echinoderms, has yet to be explored." #Pokemon #Echinoderms
jgeekstudies.org
Stars and Spikes Forever: a review of echinoderm-inspired Pokémon
Amy Deatherage Independent researcher, Los Altos, CA, USA. Email: amy.deatherage8 (at) gmail (dot) com Download PDF Created by Satoshi Tajiri, Pokémon is a massively successful Japanese franchise t…
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franz @franzanth.bsky.social · 11/08/2026
Pyukumuku gang rise up
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Journal of Geek Studies @jgeekstudies.bsky.social · 10/08/2026
From sea stars to sea urchins, echinoderms have inspired some iconic Pokémon. Our latest article explores the ecological and anatomical connections between these remarkable marine animals and their Pokémon counterparts. 🌊⭐ #GeekStudies #MarineBiology #Zoology
jgeekstudies.org
Stars and Spikes Forever: a review of echinoderm-inspired Pokémon
Amy Deatherage Independent researcher, Los Altos, CA, USA. Email: amy.deatherage8 (at) gmail (dot) com Download PDF Created by Satoshi Tajiri, Pokémon is a massively successful Japanese franchise t…
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Journal of Geek Studies @jgeekstudies.bsky.social · 06/08/2026
Fantastic read! Emily Wilson is classicist and the translator of Homer's Odyssey and Iliad into English. "[Nolan's movie] lacks psychological, emotional, political and ethical depth. (...) None of the characters has convincing motivation for their actions or words."
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Shujie Chang @shujie.bsky.social · 22/07/2026
Something a little different and very fun with Pokémon!
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Journal of Geek Studies @jgeekstudies.bsky.social · 21/07/2026
Are Pokémon routes and habitats more realistic than you think? 🤔 New research shows that ecological patterns in Pokémon games closely resemble those found in the natural world. #geekstudies #Ecology #SciComm #GameStudies Article by N Stephenson, @shujie.bsky.social, @yarongliu.bsky.social, et al.
jgeekstudies.org
Ecological patterns in Pokémon games reflect those observed in the natural world
Nile P. Stephenson1,2,3, Gabriel B. Stephenson4, Shujie Chang1,2, Britta K. Fiedler5, Yarong Liu1,2,6, Ayaka U. Paul1,2,5, Euan N. Furness4 1Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridg…
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Kaumi420 @kaumi420.bsky.social · 12/07/2026
I found this site looking up the #cosmicprincesskaguya tag. The article is super interesting read with a ton of sources listed. The entire website has super interesting content on it. Idk there was so many colors of sea bunnies. Apparently they don't even know if they see the same species or not.
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Journal of Geek Studies @jgeekstudies.bsky.social · 20/07/2026
Thank you! We love when new readers discover our little journal ❤️
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Journal of Geek Studies @jgeekstudies.bsky.social · 08/07/2026
On the relation between Full Metal Alchemist’s Equivalent Exchange and the scientific Conservation Laws - by A. Cortés Navarrete & D. Morales #FMA #鋼の錬金術師
jgeekstudies.org
On the relation between Full Metal Alchemist’s Equivalent Exchange and the scientific Conservation Laws
Alberto Cortés Navarrete & Dulce M. Morales Independent researchers. Groningen, The Netherlands. Emails: albertocortesnavarrete (at) gmail (dot) com; dules_bast (at) hotmail (dot) com Download …
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Journal of Geek Studies @jgeekstudies.bsky.social · 08/07/2026
A kawaii slug? The sea bunny Jorunna parva in pop culture - by R. Salvador & C. Cunha #marinebiology #ウミウシ #超かぐや姫 #CosmicPrincessKaguya #CPK
jgeekstudies.org
A kawaii slug? The sea bunny Jorunna parva in pop culture
Rodrigo B. Salvador1 & Carlo M. Cunha2 1Zoology Unit, Finnish Museum of Natural History, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland. 2Museu de História Natural e da Ciência da Universidade do Po…
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Journal of Geek Studies @jgeekstudies.bsky.social · 08/07/2026
Hornet’s web: weaving the biology of silk into Hollow Knight: Silksong - by A. Morales-Primo #biology #HollowKnight
jgeekstudies.org
Hornet’s web: weaving the biology of silk into Hollow Knight: Silksong
Abraham U. Morales-Primo Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Hospital General de México, Mexico City, Mexico. Email: aump.puma (at) gmail (dot) com Download PDF Silk is o…
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Journal of Geek Studies @jgeekstudies.bsky.social · 08/07/2026
Monster Hunter: an evolutionary story - by C. Sevin #evolution #phylogenetics #MonsterHunter
jgeekstudies.org
Monster Hunter: an evolutionary story
Christopher Sevin Independent scientific educator, France. Email: c-sevin (at) live (dot) fr Download PDF Monster Hunter is a fantasy-themed video game franchise created by the Japanese company Cap…
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Journal of Geek Studies @jgeekstudies.bsky.social · 08/07/2026
Analysis of Eirin Yagokoro (Touhou Project) from a bioethical perspective - by I. Punia 💊 #bioethics #medicine #東方 #東方Project #Touhou
jgeekstudies.org
Analysis of Eirin Yagokoro (Touhou Project) from a bioethical perspective
I Gede Eka Agung Agastya Punia Department of Medical Education, Faculty of Medicine, Mahasaraswati University, Bali, Indonesia. Email: agastya (at) unmas (dot) ac (dot) id  Download PDF Bioethics i…
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Journal of Geek Studies @jgeekstudies.bsky.social · 08/07/2026
From Jaws to Baby Shark: an overview of 50 years of sharks in cinema and television - by L. Rasia 🦈 #biology #cinema
jgeekstudies.org
From Jaws to Baby Shark: an overview of 50 years of sharks in cinema and television
Luciano Luis Rasia Museo de La Plata, Universidad Nacional de la Plata, La Plata, Argentina. Email: lucianorasia (at) fcnym.unlp (dot) edu (dot) ar Download PDF Sharks are remarkable creatures that…
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Journal of Geek Studies @jgeekstudies.bsky.social · 08/07/2026
Don't miss our first issue of 2026. We got six cool articles for all geek tastes. 📖🧵 #geekstudies #scicomm
jgeekstudies.org
Vol. 13(1): June, 2026
Journal of Geek Studies –Vol. 13(1): published on June 30, 2026 From Jaws to Baby Shark: an overview of 50 years of sharks in cinema and television Rasia, L.L. Pp. 1-10.  PDF / HTML  Published onli…
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Journal of Geek Studies @jgeekstudies.bsky.social · 23/06/2026
A curious way to go about about it, for sure. "Humanlike tone is based on presentation; anthropomorphism doesn't prove sentience. / Persuasiveness and self-consistency can be measured, yet don't imply real or simulated behaviour."
xda-developers.com
A Microsoft researcher built a goat-powered LLM in Age of Empires II to prove it's not sentient
Careful, you'll hurt its feelings.
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Journal of Geek Studies @jgeekstudies.bsky.social · 16/06/2026
Fantastic game! Carmen Sandiego hard mode. We would love if you could write a short paper about it for us :)
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Matthew @mapoochoo.bsky.social · 07/06/2026
The Met put its entire collection online for free so I made a game out of it! 10 artifacts a day, and you guess where and when each one's from. Anthropeum.com if anyone wants to give it a shot and leave feedback :) #history #archeology #arthistory #museums
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Journal of Geek Studies @jgeekstudies.bsky.social · 25/05/2026
Happy #GeekPrideDay & #TowelDay! 🎉🎉 What better way to commemorate than catching up on some #geekstudies? Take a look at our ongoing 2026 volume and see what we've been up to so far: jgeekstudies.org/archives/vol...
Cover of the 2026 Volume of the Journal of Geek Studies, showing a phylogenetic tree of the wyverns from the Monster Hunter games.
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Journal of Geek Studies @jgeekstudies.bsky.social · 23/05/2026
@pathoftitans.bsky.social introduced a new playable Tylosaurus species to the game, with feedback from the actual paleontologists who described the new species. Their new video includes an interview with Amelia Zietlow, from the @amnh.org, who led the research: www.youtube.com/watch?v=-0N-...
youtube.com
Tylosaurus rex - New Subspecies & Interview
YouTube video by Path of Titans
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Journal of Geek Studies @jgeekstudies.bsky.social · 14/05/2026
We have a new article fresh out of the transmutation circle! 🚨 Our authors explain how the famous Equivalent Exchange of #FullMetalAlchemist relates to the Conservation Laws of real-world science. #GeekStudies #scicomm #FMA #鋼の錬金術師
jgeekstudies.org
On the relation between Full Metal Alchemist’s Equivalent Exchange and the scientific Conservation Laws
Alberto Cortés Navarrete & Dulce M. Morales Independent researchers. Groningen, The Netherlands. Emails: albertocortesnavarrete (at) gmail (dot) com; dules_bast (at) hotmail (dot) com Download …
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Science X / Phys.org @sciencex.bsky.social · 13/05/2026
An analysis of 141 films since 1919 finds geologists are usually portrayed as likable characters, though nearly a third of on-screen geologists die, most often by murder or geological events. doi.org/hb3tq4
phys.org
Geologists in films are the good guys... but they often die
It all began with a perfectly ordinary chat over coffee between four researchers. How many films featuring geologists can we think of?
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Soh Kam Yung @sohkamyung.bsky.social · 05/05/2026
New from @jgeekstudies.bsky.social "Sea bunnies retained their presence in the pantheon of kawaii animals, and now they are a common sight in souvenir shops and gashapon machines as well as making a few appearances in anime" jgeekstudies.org/2026/05/01/a... #Culture #Nature #SeaSlugs #Biology
jgeekstudies.org
A kawaii slug? The sea bunny Jorunna parva in pop culture
Rodrigo B. Salvador1 & Carlo M. Cunha2 1Zoology Unit, Finnish Museum of Natural History, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland. 2Museu de História Natural e da Ciência da Universidade do Po…
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Journal of Geek Studies @jgeekstudies.bsky.social · 07/05/2026
We have a new article! 🚨 @krakenscholar.bsky.social and Carlo Cunha talk about the kawaii sea slug 𝘑𝘰𝘳𝘶𝘯𝘯𝘢 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘷𝘢, better known as the “sea bunny, and its place in pop culture. #geekstudies #nudibranchs #marinebiology #超かぐや姫 #CosmicPrincessKaguya #CPK
jgeekstudies.org
A kawaii slug? The sea bunny Jorunna parva in pop culture
Rodrigo B. Salvador1 & Carlo M. Cunha2 1Zoology Unit, Finnish Museum of Natural History, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland. 2Museu de História Natural e da Ciência da Universidade do Po…
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Journal of Geek Studies @jgeekstudies.bsky.social · 20/04/2026
A very interesting read about the "new Japonisme", penned by a scholar specialized in the history of modern Western art and Japonisme.
nippon.com
Japan Love: Fad or Japonisme Reborn?
The term neo-Japonisme has some currency today, but is the global popularity of Japanese culture really something to be likened to the Japonisme of the nineteenth century? An art historian looks at wh...
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Dr. Or M. Bialik |📚|🔬|🌊|⚒️ @obialik.bsky.social · 18/04/2026
While in our world, molluscs are the second most diverse animal group. But their representation in game universes (like Magic: The Gathering) is skewed, and someone felt the need to look into that! (and maybe research expense some boosters) 🧪 #MTG Link: jgeekstudies.org/2025/08/24/m...
Giant Oyster and small giant clam (Tridacna maxima). Sources: card: Gatherer; photograph: Wikimedia Commons (Dupont, 2009), CC BY-SA 2.0.
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Florian Verdier @floriannechekuv.bsky.social · 17/04/2026
The partnership between Cairn devs' and "ONF-Acting for the Forest" once again illustrates how video games can contribute to environmental conservation, as I concluded in my previous study. Something I notice more and more -for the good !! #conservation jgeekstudies.org/2025/11/11/c...
jgeekstudies.org
Can conservation really be effective through video games? A case study on Jack Barau and some perspectives
Florian Verdier Independent Researcher, Sens, France. Email: fverdier.ei (at) gmail (dot) com Download PDF Almost half of the world’s population plays video games (Buijisman, 2024). Whether the exp…
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Journal of Geek Studies @jgeekstudies.bsky.social · 17/04/2026
Hornet’s silk isn’t just cool, it has parallels in real biology. A science breakdown for Silksong fans, by @aumpuma.bsky.social #GeekStudies #scicomm #HollowKnight
jgeekstudies.org
Hornet’s web: weaving the biology of silk into Hollow Knight: Silksong
Abraham U. Morales-Primo Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Hospital General de México, Mexico City, Mexico. Email: aump.puma (at) gmail (dot) com Download PDF Silk is o…
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Journal of Geek Studies @jgeekstudies.bsky.social · 17/04/2026
yes (to all of those) please
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Jean-François Cudennec @limpetnerd.eurosky.social · 30/03/2026
I'm building a new home for my writing on Substack. As part of the process, I'm revisiting some older pieces: here's a revised version of my article on Jōmon archaeology in Zelda, originally published in the @jgeekstudies.bsky.social 👇
thelimpetdoctrine.substack.com
Jōmon in Hyrule
The 10,000-year-old archaeology behind Zelda: Breath of the Wild
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Journal of Geek Studies @jgeekstudies.bsky.social · 06/02/2026
New article alert! 🚨 An evolutionary take on the fauna of one of gaming’s most loved worlds! Read more: jgeekstudies.org/2026/02/05/m... #GeekStudies #MonsterHunter #scicomm #systematics
jgeekstudies.org
Monster Hunter: an evolutionary story
Christopher Sevin Independent scientific educator, France. Email: c-sevin (at) live (dot) fr Download PDF Monster Hunter is a fantasy-themed video game franchise created by the Japanese company Cap…
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Journal of Geek Studies @jgeekstudies.bsky.social · 19/01/2026
🚨New article! Bioethics in #Touhou? @venti-tempest.bsky.social looks into how Eirin Yagokoro fares in terms of medical ethics in her practice. #GeekStudies #GameStudies #TouhouProject #東方 #東方Project
jgeekstudies.org
Analysis of Eirin Yagokoro (Touhou Project) from a bioethical perspective
I Gede Eka Agung Agastya Punia Department of Medical Education, Faculty of Medicine, Mahasaraswati University, Bali, Indonesia. Email: agastya (at) unmas (dot) ac (dot) id  Download PDF Bioethics i…
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Journal of Geek Studies @jgeekstudies.bsky.social · 14/01/2026
Perfect
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Journal of Geek Studies @jgeekstudies.bsky.social · 02/01/2026
"Researchers are exploring the ways board games and tabletop role-playing games could be used in health and social care interventions." #rpg #dnd #mentalhealth
bbc.com
Study explores wellbeing impact of board games
Researchers find games such as Dungeons and Dragons and Dixit can lead to a boost in confidence.
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Dr. Or M. Bialik |📚|🔬|🌊|⚒️ @obialik.bsky.social · 02/01/2026
Why do some people elect to be trolls? Part of it is attention seeking, but there is a dark undercurrent of traits sending them down that path, including narcissism, trait sadism, and even straight-up psychopathy, all found to be strong predictors for such behavior. 🧪 www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Please do not feed the trolls!
The graphic has been roaming around the internet for about a decade now, and I found several iterations of it, but I could not locate the original artist. 
This one I took from a piece by Dan Wunderlich on How to respond to trolls, haters, and honest feedback on Facebook (https://www.resourceumc.org/en/content/how-to-respond-when-negativity-hits-your-facebook-page)
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retrorgb.com @retrorgb.com · 29/12/2025
Here's an interview with Video Game History Foundation's Frank, where we talk about their Sega Channel finds, the NES's launch and lots of other stuff. Just search any podcast app for "RetroRGB Cifaldi", or check out the main post here: retrorgb.com/interview-with-vghfs-f…
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Journal of Geek Studies @jgeekstudies.bsky.social · 26/12/2025
The anglerfish article spiked in traffic after a real anglerfish was spotted in the wild and hit the news earlier this year. Geek timing is wild sometimes 😉
jgeekstudies.org
The lure of the deep sea: anglerfish as movie monsters
Prema Arasu & Alan J. Jamieson Minderoo-UWA Deep-Sea Research Centre, The University of Western Australia. Emails: prema.arasu (at) uwa (dot) edu (dot) au; alan.j.jamieson (at) uwa (dot) edu (d…
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Journal of Geek Studies @jgeekstudies.bsky.social · 26/12/2025
All‑time leaderboard update! 🥇 Astolfo Effect 🥈 Pokémollusca 🥉 Medjed These three articles are officially the most accessed in JGS history.
jgeekstudies.org
The Astolfo Effect: the popularity of Fate/Grand Order characters in comparison to their real counterparts
João Vitor Tomotani¹ & Rodrigo Brincalepe Salvador² ¹ Independent Researcher. São Paulo, SP, Brazil. ² Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa. Wellington, New Zealand. Emails: tjvitor (at) gma…
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Journal of Geek Studies @jgeekstudies.bsky.social · 26/12/2025
Huge kudos to Audrey Aguirre! Her Nausicaä article topped our charts as the most‑read piece of 2025, and she’s the youngest author ever to write for the JGS.
jgeekstudies.org
Wilted lands and wounded worlds: visualizing environmental costs of war in Hayao Miyazaki’s Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind
Audrey Aguirre Upland High School, Upland, CA, USA. Email: audrey.a.aguirre (at) gmail (dot) com Download PDF Past studies on Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (風の谷のナウシカ; Topcraft, 1984) have prim…
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