What made ‘Nasa Mohawk Guy’ such a successful meme? Kate Miltner reports:

Overall, an attractive, Mohawked Nasa scientist is a fun thing to talk about. However, the reason why people are talking about Ferdowsi – and the reason why people participate in memes in general – is because they allow people to comment, directly or indirectly, on their culture and their personal values. Participating in the Nasa Mohawk Guy meme can communicate many things: I celebrate nonconformity; I am a member of the Persian community; I encourage the expression of individuality in the workplace; I feel that science is important and cool.