When it comes to pinpointing what matters most in a mate, I tend to waffle between intangibles like a sense of humor and well-developed communication skills. But for millions of singles in cyberspace, the deciding factors are far less enigmatic. Some people just want a pal who’s committed every square foot of the Starship Enterprise to memory and will dress up like Spock every third Tuesday of the month. Everybody’s got their somethin’, and thanks to the ever-expanding world of niche online dating, even the most discerning among us is sure to find our pointy-eared match.

 

 

 

 

TrekPassions.com

 

 

There are Trekkies, and then there are the rest of us un-intergalactic riffraff. Trek Passions provides a place where sci-fi lovers of all sorts—yes, both Star Trek and Star Wars fans are welcome—can revel in their nerdy knowledge and find a cos-play pal or lifemate.

 

 

 

 

BeautifulPeople.com

 

 

If you happen to think of yourself as God’s greatest gift to mankind, this website is for you. The self-proclaimed “most exclusively beautiful community of people in the world” screens for eyesores before admitting users to its kingdom of comeliness. Not shockingly, the founders of this Denmark-based company recently came under fire for dumping 30,000 “ugly” ogres that slipped through the cracks when a virus called Shrek attacked its system.

 

 

 

 

BrainiacDating.com

 

 

Sick of dating dunces? At Brainiac Dating you’ll have your pick of single smarties looking for love. Be forewarned though: there are no tests to verify the mental acuity of the self-proclaimed Einsteins on Brainiac, so a profile on this site is more an indicator of self-perception than anything else, but, hey, confidence counts for something.

 

 

 

 

DateMyPet.com

 

 

DateMyPet.com is not in the business of interspecies matchmaking; it just really sounds that way. This site is for platonic pet lovers who feel that compatibility doesn’t stop with the bipeds involved; a true soul mate must love Scruffy as well.

 

 

 

 

GreenSingles.com

 

 

I am among those who believe carnivores and vegivores can coexist peacefully and maybe even find love, but if his penchant for pulled pork is a deal-breaker, then skip on over to GreenSingles, a site that specializes in connecting progressive singles in the environmental, vegetarian, and animal rights communities.

 

 

 

 

IndieDating.com

 

 

If mainstream culture makes you wanna throw up your fists and buy skinnier pants in a stylish show of rebellion, then IndieDating.com might be for you. As long as you’re sufficiently un-establishment enough to live up to the tagline: “Cos you’re cool …”

 

 

 

 

TheAtlasphere.com

 

 

Some books are so powerful that you just can’t stop thinking about them, or talking about them, or basing your prototype of the ideal mate on them. That’s the premise of The Atlasphere, a site devoted to connecting admirers of Ayn Rand’s books The Fountainhead and Atlas Shrugged. Objectivism has never been so sexy.

 

 

 

 

ScientificMatch.com

 

 

Good chemistry is a game-changer when it comes to dating, but it’s pretty hard to come by. ScientificMatch.com eliminates the guessing game by actually testing your DNA and basing its matches on genetic compatibility. As you might expect, its service is a wallet buster at $1,995.95 for a lifetime membership. But can you really put a price tag on scientifically validated love?

 

 

 

 

Cupid420.com

 

 

If you prefer your men tall, dark, and hazy, this site’s for you. At Cupid420, you’re sure to find that perfect someone to snuggle up with on the couch and watch Family Guy reruns for days. And days. And days.