Life on the Red Planet?

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(Credit: NASA.gov)

In our eternal quest to find life on another planet, our eyes perk up whenever we see an image that even remotely looks like a living creature. This picture sent four years ago, by NASA's Rover "Spirit" was released recently by an avid Space fan who believes he has found evidence of life on Mars.

Some believers think it is a sculpture - the Martian equivalent of Denmark's unofficial national symbol — "The Little Mermaid." Their theory is that there was an ancient civilization that built this and then left Mars and settled down in Denmark. Others think it is "Bigfoot", the large hairy monster that is rumored to inhabit the remote forests of North America. The non-believers think it is just a pile of rocks creating an optical (visual) illusion (trick).

Meanwhile NASA's two Rovers "Spirit" and "Opportunity" who have been on Mars since 2003, continue to explore the Martian surface and geology.

While the primary mission of the Rovers is to search for and identify Martian rocks and soils that may hold clues to past water activity, they also send these kind of photos which spark fun debates!

The rovers are expected to continue their mission until at least 2009. Maybe they'll send some more images that will settle this debate once and for all!

Resources: NASA.gov, CNN.com, Theguardian.com

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87 Comments
  • Valerie over 9 years
    I also think it is fake :(
    • genius1326
      genius1326about 10 years
      I think it is fake. According to my research, it is most likely a few rocks accidently formed to look like a person. Our eyes can decieve us, like mirages, but you may argue that "this isn't the desert where it is really hot with little water", but our eyes still tend to make us see what we REALLY want to see. No offense, if you take this the wrong way. But as some debate, are our eyes really decieving us, or is it another form of intelligent life? We might never know, because it is a big galaxy......
      • kobwebby
        kobwebbyover 9 years
        Haha so true :) It's very likely on such a big planet for shapes like this to form, and I am sure it is just some interestingly placed shapes.
      • Personabout 10 years
        Is it real? This is so darn scary
        • robotboyabout 10 years
          i think it is real
          • hunterover 10 years
            cool
            • Lovely4246over 10 years
              omg, i really want it to be a REAL mermaid
              • bloned&pinkover 10 years
                now i'm kind of scared
                • Crazy kidover 10 years
                  It's just a rock
                  • Laurenover 10 years
                    Cool
                    • rainbow_dash13
                      rainbow_dash13over 10 years
                      that is AWESOME!!!!!!!!