'Gritty Bill Nye' is the meme we all needed

"The science guy" is getting photoshopped to look even more badass.

Not Available Lead
Image via Complex Original
Not Available Lead

Nineties kids may remember Bill Nye as the bow tie-wearing "science guy," but a new photo of the famous TV scientist has the Internet seeing him in a different light.

The photo, which surfaced earlier this month, shows a weathered-looking Nye smoking a cigarette while walking down an empty road in New Mexico. He basically looks like a nerdy James Dean.​ National Geographic captured the photo for a feature story on Nye called, "Bill Nye's Global Meltdown," where the scientist explains climate change and how we can turn things around.

Reddit user avemae10 posted the photo on the /r/pics subreddit, noting the humor in seeing our dorky science hero look like a badass. The photo included the caption, "Bill Nye looks like he's dropping the hottest mixtape of 2015."

None

Naturally, the photo was "remixed" multiple times on the subreddit /r/photoshopbattles. Internet artists proved Nye could be just about any type of action hero:

"Nye Hard"

None

Star Wars:

None

Reservoir Dogs: 

None

I Am Legend: 

None


It's unclear if Nye has caught wind of the meme yet, but he's no stranger to the Internet's idea of "thug life."

Apparently I "be thuglife?" ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ https://t.co/X7dQOJJmyt

Latest in Life