Chinese scientists love Blackpink’s Jennie so much they named a fish after her

A popular K-pop star has received an unusual scientific honor: a newly discovered fish species in China has been named in her honor. Jennie Kim, a member of the globally renowned group Blackpink, has had a tiny black-and-yellow fish named after her by Chinese researchers.

The fish, measuring less than an average human fingernail, was discovered near the Pearl River estuary in southern China. It has been formally named Brachygobius jennie. This species is the first of its kind, a bumblebee goby, to be found in China. Researchers suggest that this discovery could provide a valuable model for studying the biological constraints associated with vertebrate miniaturization.

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a constant source of inspiration

The discovery was made by Tian Jiangyan, a master's student who led the study. She stated that listening to Jennie's music served as a constant source of inspiration during her academic work. Naming the species after the singer was Tian's way of acknowledging the positive influence Jennie's music had on her research.

Tian first spotted the small fish during fieldwork in mangrove wetlands in April 2025. Initially, she mistook them for juvenile fish, but their distinct markings did not align with any known species in the region. Subsequent examination by Tian and her colleagues from Sun Yat-sen University in Guangzhou, along with international collaborators, confirmed it as a new species. The Brachygobius jennie, or Jennie's Bumblebee Goby, is characterized by its small size and striking black-and-yellow coloration.

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positive influence