Pokémon turns 30 — how the fictional pocket monsters shaped science

3 min read Original article ↗
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The Japanese media sensation has inspired generations of researchers in fields as diverse as evolution, biodiversity and research integrity.

By

  1. Miryam Naddaf

    1. Miryam Naddaf is a reporter for Nature in London.

On 27 February 1996, Japanese game designer Satoshi Tajiri released the first ever Pokémon games for the Nintendo Game Boy. What started as a childhood passion for collecting insects grew into a giant franchise and global phenomenon with themes of science at its heart.

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Nature 651, 285-286 (2026)

doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-026-00441-y

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