As space geeks watched nervously to see if NASA’s Curiosity rover would land safely on Mars, many found themselves wondering, “Hey, who’s that cool dude with the stars-and-stripes mohawk?”
That dude was Bobak Ferdowsi, the activity lead for NASA’s mission to Mars, and his crazy haircut made him the internet’s new favorite thing. Less than 24 hours after Curiosity touched down, Mohawk Guy had blasted into our collective consciousness. Instant fame led to a NASA Needs More MohawksTumblr dedicated to him, a rash of online marriage proposals, a string of meme photos of Ferdowsi at mission control, and loads of adoring fan art. He also now has more than 44,000 Twitter followers.
via Wired
Above: The photo that launched a hundred memes: Ferdowsi in NASA mission control during Curiosity’s landing.
Photo: Brian van der Brug/AP
