Although the famous Basque streamer and youtuber Ibai Llanos has managed to make marble culture fashionable thanks to his marble races broadcast on Twitch and YouTube, a somewhat more traditional (and analog) phenomenon is taking place in the United States. . Not without the help of the internet (albeit only through Facebook groups that help map supply and demand), hundreds of thousands of Americans are hunting for these prized glass and marble miniatures.

And yes, "hunt" is the most appropriate word. They are not Pokemon. But almost.

On a rainy December morning, Damien and Michaela Beauchemin walk a redwood trail with their Portuguese water dog, Maui, scanning the ground and listening intently for the sound of a creek. Maui groans and tries to move forward, but Michaela holds him back. If they move too fast, they might miss something.

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The pair take a look at the clues they've saved on their phones: a riddle on how to rub a belly for luck, a warning about heights, a photo of ferns. Another photo shows the coveted prize: a large orange and white marble nestled among pebbles in the water.

The ornate, gleaming sphere is quite the achievement in the world of sphere hunting, and the Beauchemins (who hunt for these treasures almost every weekend) want to add it to their collection. This relatively new hobby has attracted tens of thousands of people from all over the world, who have been engaging with other participants mostly on social media due to the COVID-19 pandemic.