You don’t have to be on land to get swept up in World Cup fever.
With the United States and Germany facing off in the 2014 FIFA World Cup last week, American astronauts Reid Wiseman and Steve Swanson decided to make a little wager on the game with German astronaut Alexander Gerst while in space. If the USA prevailed, Gerst would have an American flag painted on his head by his colleagues, but if Germany won, Wiseman and Swanson would have their heads shaved.
Although the USA still advanced to the knockout round, they ultimately fell to Germany 1-0 in group play, which was bad news for the Americans’ hair. But a bet is a bet — even in space — so the two astronauts paid up.
It wasn’t all bad, though, as Wiseman found the silver lining in all of the fun.
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