Contributor (Science & Tech)
Joe Praska discovered his first real passion for fandom at an early age watching VHS copies of Star Wars on repeat, sitting down for Star Trek marathons with his dad, and catching old monster movies on TV with his mom. From there, a gateway opened for him into a world that fostered a love of science fiction, horror, fantasy, superheroes, comics, gaming, and, as he grew older, real-world science and technology.
Joe ultimately grew up to be a classroom teacher, teaching elementary students in St. Paul, and found himself married to a scientist. He continues his passion for all things geeky with a particular excitement for science education, multiple fandoms, and a collector’s spirit when it comes to amassing books, comics, Blu-rays, and other forms of physical media on his shelves.
Aside from writing, Joe cohosts two podcasts: one about monsters called Frankenstein’s Podcast, and another about Star Trek called Deep Space Love. He also enjoys biking around the city, hiking state parks, doing yoga, going to movie theaters, and exploring small indie bookstores wherever he goes. He lives in St. Paul with his wife, their two kids, and their cat, Petra.
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joe@twincitiesgeek.com
Articles by Joe
- Minnesota Filmmaker Yasmin Yassin Bridges Science, Culture, and Art in “Woman Land” Sep 5, 2026
- How Ex-NOAA Experts Are Rebuilding a Shuttered Climate Data Website Sep 3, 2026
- How Citizen Scientists Can Help the National Weather Service Track Weather Patterns May 14, 2026
- What to Know About NASA’s Artemis II Mission to the Moon Apr 5, 2026
- Researchers Have Spotted Lynx Kittens in Voyageurs National Park for the First Time in Decades Feb 11, 2026
- 15 Episodes for Your Antifascist “Star Trek” Watch List Jan 30, 2026
- Cellular Mitosis Meets Puppetry in “Cellula” from Minneapolis’s Z Puppets Rosenschnoz Oct 18, 2025
- University of Minnesota Scientists Find New Life in the Great Lakes Oct 4, 2025
- The University of Minnesota’s Dr. Michael Osterholm on Why Public Health and Vaccines Matter Jun 28, 2025
- Free Geek Twin Cities Is Reducing Waste and Bringing Tech to Communities in Need Apr 13, 2025
- Meet the Newly Discovered Giant Isopod Named After Darth Vader Feb 2, 2025
- Astrophysicist Erin Macdonald on Working as an Official “Star Trek” Science Advisor Oct 12, 2024
- Help Save the Bees with the Minnesota Bumble Bee Atlas Jul 10, 2024
- Lisa Frankenstein Is a Jolt of Fun Feb 7, 2024
- A Minnesota Computer Engineer Turned Artist Gets Creative with Hard Drives Dec 18, 2023
- Comedian Ben Miller Is Bringing Stand-Up Science to St. Paul Sep 2, 2023
- Dungeons & Dragons: Honor among Thieves Rolls a Natural 20 Mar 30, 2023
- Showrunner Trey Callaway on Mercy Point, an Undeservedly Forgotten Sci-Fi Gem Feb 28, 2023
- Look Up with the Bell Museum’s Space Fest 2023 Feb 4, 2023
- Scientist Julia Steenberg Discusses the Meteor Crash Site Uncovered in the Twin Cities Jan 24, 2023
- After 30 Years Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Holds Up Now More Than Ever Jan 11, 2023
- Explore the Mysteries of the Narwhal with the Bell Museum’s Current Exhibit Nov 19, 2022
- Good Night Oppy Gives NASA’s Mars Rovers a Heartfelt Retrospective Nov 17, 2022
- See Earth in a New Light with Gaia at the Bell Museum Jul 26, 2022
- The First Photos from the James Webb Telescope Are Coming July 12 Jul 6, 2022
- 5 Star Wars Knockoffs to Spice Up Your May the 4th Viewing Party May 4, 2022
- Explore Cultural Astronomy at the Bell Museum’s Third Annual Statewide Star Party Apr 5, 2022
- Minnesota’s Nokomis Energy Hopes to Expand Community Solar across the State Dec 17, 2021
- How Does the MCU’s Fictional Multiverse Line Up with Real-World Science? Nov 18, 2021
- Star Trek’s Tim Russ Brings a Life of Stargazing to NASA’s Lucy Mission Sep 28, 2021
- Matheater’s Nikola Tesla and the Mother of Invention to Premiere in Minneapolis July 23 Jul 21, 2021
- Warp Speed Inches Closer to Reality with New Research May 14, 2021
- How WandaVision Explores the Intersection of Mental Health and Heroism Mar 16, 2021
- In the Minnesota Zoo’s ZOOMS Challenge, STEM Takes Center Stage Feb 26, 2021
- In Its Third Season, Star Trek: Discovery Finds Its Identity Feb 18, 2021
- The Ashes of Star Trek’s James Doohan Have Secretly Been Orbiting the Earth for 12 Years Dec 29, 2020
- Jupiter and Saturn Will Align on the Night of the Winter Solstice Dec 17, 2020
- Star Trek: Lower Decks Is a Delight for Trekkies and Newcomers Alike Dec 3, 2020
- Mark Kelly Becomes the Fourth Astronaut Elected to Public Office Nov 4, 2020
- What Does NASA’s New Discovery of Water on the Moon Mean? Nov 2, 2020
- Minneapolis’s Bakken Museum Reopens with a Spark Oct 9, 2020
- NASA’s Perseverance Rover Blasts Off to Mars with a Load of Ingenuity Aug 12, 2020
- At One University of Minnesota Lab, Research Persists through COVID-19 Jun 20, 2020
- Adriyan Rae, Star of Syfy’s Vagrant Queen, Wants to Bring Love and Light to the World Apr 23, 2020
- Scientists Give Voice to a 3,000-Year-Old Mummy Feb 26, 2020
- Minnesota Company Starkey Updates One of Its Hearing Aids with New AI Capabilities Jan 27, 2020
- Space Fest Comes to St. Paul’s Bell Museum Starting January 31, 2020 Jan 25, 2020
- Minnesota Researchers Develop Shape-Changing Textiles Powered by Body Heat Dec 24, 2019
- Comparing The Running Man’s Fictional 2019 to Our Present Dec 12, 2019
- Scientists Have Achieved Human Suspended Animation for the First Time Dec 7, 2019
- This Renovated Futuro Home Is a Unique Glimpse into Architectural History Dec 5, 2019
- With Powerful Performances, The Current War Illuminates the True Story of Electricity Oct 24, 2019
- Kate Mulgrew Talks Science, Science Fiction, and the Power of Words Oct 3, 2019
- A Few Thousand Tardigrades May Now Be the Sole Inhabitants of the Moon Aug 6, 2019
- Scientists Make Major Improvements in “Mind-Controlled” Robotics without Brain Implants Jul 25, 2019
- Celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Apollo 11 with a Space-Travel Flick at the Trylon Jul 12, 2019
- NASA’s Dragonfly Will Search for Life on Titan, Saturn’s Icy Moon Jul 11, 2019
- Scientists Spot the Starfleet Logo on the Martian Surface Jun 13, 2019
- Jupiter Will Be Extra Visible in the Night Sky Tonight Jun 10, 2019
- Marvel at the Moon as the Bell Museum Celebrates the Year of Apollo May 21, 2019
- Astronomers around the Globe Assemble to Capture the First Image of a Black Hole Apr 11, 2019
- What Do an ’80s Video Game and a Prehistoric Shark Have in Common? Apr 5, 2019
- Shane Mauss Brings His Unique Blend of Science and Comedy to Minneapolis Jan 30, 2019
- New Science Standards for Minnesota Schools Would Teach Humans’ Role in Climate Change Jan 28, 2019
- Past Meets Future as Drone Technology Helps Maintain Minneapolis’s Historic Stone Arch Bridge Dec 22, 2018
- Minnesota’s Starkey Combines AI and 3D Sensors to Take On Hearing Loss and More Oct 3, 2018
- Scientists Gather in Minnesota to Foster Understanding of Genome Engineering Technology Jul 19, 2018
- One Woman’s Journey from Refugee Camp to Minnesota Medical School Jul 3, 2018
- University of Minnesota Researchers Discover a New Magnetic Element Jun 17, 2018
- In Gamifying the Language of Chemistry, CompoundIt! Is a Minnesota-Born Winner Apr 18, 2018
- The Science of Star Trek: Discovery’s Mycelial Network Apr 11, 2018
- The Minneapolis Institute of Art Gets the Puzzle-Room Treatment with a New App Apr 9, 2018
- Oumuamua, a Messenger from Afar, Pays a Visit to Our Cosmic Backyard Dec 20, 2017
- At a Crossroads between Art and Science, GLITCH Finds a Place to Thrive Dec 3, 2017
- Minnesota-Born Travis Milloy Brings Thoughtful Sci Fi to the Screen Sep 15, 2017
- Minnesota Researchers Use Lasers and Gold Nanotechnology to Advance Cryopreservation Aug 22, 2017
- When, Where, and How to See the 2017 Total Eclipse in Minnesota Aug 11, 2017
- Crafters, Artists, and Techies Come Together for the St. Paul Public Libraries’ Maker Fest Jun 13, 2017
- How Five Minnesota Educators are Bringing NASA into Their Classrooms May 30, 2017
- NASA’s Cassini Begins Its Grand Finale with a Grand Discovery Apr 24, 2017