Intended for a core audience of young girls, this cartoon series and toy line (or, if you are makers Hasbro, toy line and attendant cartoon series) has acquired a significant and phenomenally creative periphery audience of young men and women (mostly men) who have expressed their devotion through art, fiction, music and video game mods, among other media.

FORBES: Dividendgame

One thing we love about scientist-types is their nerdy humor, so when researchers launch a trio of satellites next month to test the feasibility of space tether propulsion, the 'gadget' tasked with 'inspecting' the line will obviously be referred to as bumbling cartoon detective Inspector Gadget.

ENGADGET: Inspector Gadget tackles 'The Case of the Experimental Space Tether'