NASA Found 10 Eerie Objects on Mars That Seem Out Of Place – Moneycontrol

The Red Planet has always fascinated humans, and for good reason. Mars is the only planet in our solar system, aside from Earth, that has evidence of liquid water in the past, and it’s a prime target for scientists searching for life beyond our planet. With the latest technologies, we can get closer to finding the truth about Mars. While rovers and spacecraft explore the planet’s surface and its thin atmosphere, some of them find mysterious objects.

Take, for example, a recent find by the Mars Curiosity Rover. While driving through the Martian landscape, Curiosity stumbled upon what looked like a door embedded in the face of a rock. It was the talk of the internet, and there was immediate speculation on what the “doorway” was. Sadly, it was just a geological feature.

The truth is, Mars is full of strange objects that are intriguing and enigmatic but often simply rock formations. It’s easy for our minds to see patterns in randomness, but they are mostly just naturally occurring phenomena.

For instance, here is a compilation of 10 weird-looking objects on Mars captured by NASA rovers:

1. Martian “Doorway”

A photograph taken by NASA’s Curiosity rover captured an opening in the Martian rock face, and some called it a “doorway.” While many saw the doorway as a possible indication of past Martian civilization, the rover’s team pointed out that the opening is really just a natural geologic feature, likely formed by cracks and fissures in the rock. However, it is definitely a fascinating picture. The rock formation looks strikingly similar to an opening.

2. Martian “Spoon”

An image from Mars showing what seems like a utensil left on the planet went viral. This sparked more talk about the existence of extraterrestrial life. Again, the image shows a rock, and it doesn’t seem too convincing as a spoon. Although the resemblance to a spoon is debatable, there’s nothing more than a rocky outcrop with a suggestive shape. It’s still a popular internet joke, and it adds more fuel to conspiracy theories.

3. Martian “Bear”

Another peculiar rock formation from the surface of Mars appears to be a “bear,” or perhaps more appropriately a “bear-shaped” rock. Many, including NASA themselves, had a field day trying to decode this intriguing photo. Despite its interesting shape, there’s no reason to believe it is something else. There is no need for extraordinary claims unless extraordinary evidence exists.

4. Martian “Duck”

As Curiosity traversed the rocky plains of Gale Crater, it stumbled upon a rather odd rock that immediately evoked comparisons to a duck. The rock is certainly intriguing and suggestive of a familiar avian form. But like many other interesting objects, this rock likely formed naturally due to weathering and erosion. But as humans, we have the tendency to impose our own patterns and interpretations. In this case, we see a duck where in reality, we are only seeing a unique rock formation.

5. Martian “Lego Man”

Another odd object that grabbed the public’s imagination. NASA’s Opportunity Rover came across what many thought resembled a “Lego Man.” Unfortunately, what may appear to be man-made from afar, in this case, turned out to be just a weathered and eroded piece of rock, possibly sculpted by wind and dust storms on the planet. But you have to give credit to human observation, as the Lego-man-like object is certainly peculiar.

6. Martian “Skull”

Perhaps one of the more convincing object appearances that was reported was the so-called “Martian skull.” It was one of the earliest finds. This rock is striking in its likeness to a human skull, with eye sockets, a nasal cavity, and a jawline, it caused a great deal of hype. However, again, it is just a naturally shaped rock that’s part of the many Martian landscapes that capture our imagination.

7. Martian “Ball Bearings”

An intriguing discovery from the Opportunity Rover. This set of metallic spherical objects caught the attention of the rover team. While it’s possible these may be naturally occurring iron oxides, also known as hematite, further examination is necessary to confirm this hypothesis. It’s one of the biggest unsolved mysteries so far. The rover was also spotted what seemed like to be a jelly donut. NASA still needs to figure this one out.

8. Martian “Pyramid”

Mars holds some very enigmatic structures, with some even hinting at evidence of lost civilization. Many claim there are pyramidal shapes present in the surface of the planet. With the images, it’s definitely possible to spot the triangular structure, especially the “Pyramids” that lie close to the Elysium Planitia and other notable areas like the Cydonia region on Mars. The evidence is, unfortunately, not compelling enough. Still, it keeps the theorists occupied.

9. Martian “Lightning Bolt”

One of the newest objects found on Mars. Images show the shape of a lightning bolt carved into a rock on the Martian surface. The lighting-shaped structure was shared by several UFO watchers and others with claims of evidence that “aliens” or ancient people exist on Mars. But to experts, it is likely a geological formation. Though the appearance of the “lighting bolt” is quite astonishing, many believe that the unique patterns on the rock may have formed through various erosive processes. However, what adds to the intrigue is the apparent “crystalized formations” within the lightning. Whether these are just mineral crystals or other more intriguing elements are still up for speculation.

10. Martian “Light”

Another striking phenomenon is a beam of “light” spotted shining on Mars’ surface. There is some debate about the validity of the observation because there were only still images and not a sequence that would allow proper analysis. Though NASA has remained cautious in the analysis of this object.

As we continue to explore Mars, the rover team will no doubt continue to find curious objects and phenomena. Some may seem like evidence of life, and some are undoubtedly fascinating and mysterious. While a good number are naturally occurring, we may stumble upon something unexpected that points us towards the answer to one of the big questions about the universe – are we alone?