A glance at the week that was
Not just rocket science
The Mars Curiosity Rover Mission was one of the most audacious space exploration projects ever conceived, featuring a hovering Skycrane that lowered the rover to the surface of the Red Planet with cables, but coverage of the event has focused almost as much on one Nasa engineer, Bobak Ferdowsi (left). Ferdowsi became an instant internet celebrity, not because he was mission controller for the landing, but because he’s young and good-looking, and sports a mohawk with stars shaved into the side of his head. Mohawk Guy, as he is known, apparently changes his hairstyle for every mission, making him the David Beckham of rocket science.
We now know
Staff at Brazil's central bankhave gone on strike as they demand a 23 per cent pay increase to stay ahead of inflation, which the Brazilian central bank is trying to curb.
The Book of Kells, which is housed in the old library at Trinity College Dublin, has been seen by 10 million visitors.
One of Osama Bin Laden's former bodyguards is now living in Bochum, Germany.
People who suffer from allergies have a lower risk of developing brain tumours.
The Numbers
61
The reported IQ of Marvin Wilson, who was executed by lethal injection in Texas on Tuesday.
113.7
Decibels recorded in the Olympic ExCel arena during Katie Taylor'sfirst fight on Monday.
$2.5bn
The cost of the Mars Curiosity mission, about one-sixth of the cost of the London 2012 Olympics
11.2m
Number of minutes Irish people spend queuing every day, according to a survey by Visa.
47%
Proportion of the Irish population who describe themselves as religious, down from 69 per cent in 2005.
7.8%
Rise in the price of Dublin hotel rooms over the past year.
7
Number of Cameroonian Olympic athleteswho have gone missing from the Olympic Village.
