Science Division Says Goodbye to Making App-Enabled Tribbles

Jay and Kayleigha at a Star Trek convention. Image: Science Division.

DECEMBER 13, 2022 - Since early 2020, Science Division, run by Kayleigha and Jay Zawacki have distributed tribbles to Star Trek fans. Fortunately, according to their website, Dr. McCoy’s research “in the field of Tribble metabolic serums” left them unable to reproduce, or we’d be overrun by them by now.

The tribbles are unique in that you have the option of controlling them with an app, offering 3 modes: At Ease, On Duty, and Watchdog. If you’ve been saving your pennies waiting to buy one of them, though, you’d better hurry.

Science Division announced last week that they are shutting down production of the furballs. According to the announcement,

We do not make this decision lightly. We are a tiny business in a tumultuous economy. Production, import, and shipping costs have risen. After the CBS merger, first with Viacom and then with Paramount, licensing costs have also increased--although the folks at Paramount indicated that they were willing to make some concessions due to our small size. The bottom line is that Tribbles are about to become much more expensive to produce. We are not comfortable passing that cost on to our customers.

The company was facing other trials and tribblations, including time. Every time a tribble arrived from the manufacturer, the Zawackis would unpack it, brush it, and repack it, costing them time while they continued to work at their full-time day jobs, as well.

The app will continue, for those who own the tribbles, and while their license with Paramount lapses at the end of 2022, you will still be able to purchase their remaining stock until March 2023. Read the full announcement to learn a little bit about the history of the company and the highlights of their time as Science Division.