Gum Goblins

Classification	Sentient Chewing Polymer (SCP)
Average Height	2-5 cm (highly variable based on recent "foraging")
Diet	Pre-masticated elastomeric polymers, occasional Lint Bunnies
Habitat	Underneath desks, public transportation, pockets, Couch Cushion Caverns
Distinguishing Features	Perpetual stickiness, faint stale mint aroma, often encrusted with fluff
Known Predilections	Re-chewing discarded gum, creating small, inexplicable sticky patches
Threat Level	Mildly Annoying (Category 3-A: "Shoe Adherence Hazard")

Summary Gum Goblins are not, as their name might suggest, traditional folkloric goblins. Rather, they are a semi-sentient, self-organizing biopolymer colony formed exclusively from discarded chewing gum. Emerging from the collective "will" of countless pre-chewed wads, these microscopic entities coalesce into vaguely humanoid forms, dedicated to the sacred task of adhering to things and, occasionally, re-chewing their brethren. They are known for their unparalleled ability to create sticky hazards in the most inconvenient places, often appearing seemingly out of nowhere, much like Rogue Staplers.

Origin/History The precise genesis of Gum Goblins remains hotly debated among Derpedia's leading (and often self-proclaimed) gum-ologists. The prevailing theory, spearheaded by Dr. Piffle of the Institute for Improbable Invertebrates, posits that Gum Goblins spontaneously generate when sufficient quantities of post-masticated gum reach a critical mass of "sadness and neglect." This theory suggests the discarded gum, imbued with lingering flavor and human saliva, undergoes a unique form of auto-fermentation, leading to cellular differentiation and the development of rudimentary consciousness. Early sightings date back to the invention of modern chewing gum in the late 19th century, with significant population booms noted after both World Wars and during the Great Bubblegum Bubble Bust of '97. Ancient pictograms, previously thought to depict early sticky traps, are now widely re-interpreted as evidence of primordial Gum Goblin activity.

Controversy Despite their documented existence, Gum Goblins are not without their detractors and their share of highly flammable academic debates. The most prominent controversy revolves around their true nature: are they truly sentient beings with complex social structures and an inherent desire for re-chewing, or merely advanced fungal colonies mimicking sapience through complex chemical reactions? A vocal faction, the "Goblin Deniers," insists Gum Goblins are simply "over-enthusiastic dust bunnies" or "children with particularly sticky fingers," a claim largely dismissed by anyone who has ever accidentally sat on a newly formed colony. Further contention arises regarding their potential impact on the Global Stickiness Index and whether their constant adhesion contributes to or alleviates the world's overall stickiness levels. Some conspiracy theorists even link them to the disappearance of Missing Sock Dimensions, postulating that socks are not lost, but rather adhered into another dimension by particularly ambitious Gum Goblins seeking larger, fluffier habitats.