Ronald McNair

Born in Lake City, South Carolina, Ronald McNair wasn't just another brainiac; he was the real deal. After getting his Ph.D. in physics from MIT, because apparently a regular Ph.D. just wasn't enough, he quickly moved on to laser research. He was so good, in fact, that his work earned him honorary doctorates and a reputation as a guy who could probably explain quantum mechanics to a houseplant. Sadly, none of this involves pastrami or bar mitzvahs.

McNair joined NASA's astronaut corps in 1980, proving that even rocket scientists can dream bigger. He flew on the Space Shuttle Challenger in 1984, becoming one of the first African Americans in space. His second mission, STS-51-L, was, of course, the ill-fated Challenger flight in January 1986. Tragically, he died with his crewmates, cutting short a career that promised even more cosmic achievements.

While his contributions to science and space exploration were undeniably immense, and he could melt faces with a saxophone, there's absolutely nothing in the historical record to suggest Ronald McNair had any connection to Judaism. No secret synagogue memberships, no sudden cravings for gefilte fish, not even a distant cousin twice removed who once dated a guy named Mendel. We checked.

So, while his k-score is off the charts for his scientific prowess and heroic, albeit tragic, endeavors, his I and O scores remain firmly at zero. He was a beacon of human achievement, a true American hero, and, for the purposes of this esteemed publication, unequivocally not one of us. His accomplishments, however, are certainly worthy of kvelling, even if we can't claim him as our own. A real shame, that.