In the late 1990s, NASA wanted to collect more detailed data about Mars in order to identify potential landing sites for future missions. So in 1996, they launched the Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) into polar orbit around the planet.
As the probe circled Mars, the planet’s surface rotated beneath it, allowing it to take different bands of images over time. These bands were then stitched together into a high-resolution panorama, allowing scientists to study the Martian terrain in detail.
Among the vast amount of data collected, observers occasionally spotted unusual features on the Martian surface, such as a square structure with almost perfectly right angles.
This was interesting because right angles are rare in nature, especially on a planet with many meteorite impacts like Mars.
The digitally enhanced images make the structure even more apparent, leading some to speculate that it could be the remains of a man-made structure.
However, experts stress that nature can still create similar shapes.
Mars has signs of flowing water, and water can create grooves and cliffs with straight lines. Furthermore, with a land area similar to Earth, the possibility of some areas on Mars appearing with special shapes is not too far-fetched.
Previously, in 1976, a photo of the surface of Mars showed a shape resembling a human face, with eye sockets, a nose bridge and a head outline.
This led to speculation about the existence of alien life. However, when later satellites took pictures of the same area with higher resolution, the face disappeared, proving that it was just an optical illusion.
This phenomenon is called “pareidolia” – the human tendency to see familiar shapes in random patterns, such as recognizing faces in clouds or rock surfaces.
Similarly, other unusual shapes on Mars, such as a structure that looks like a person sitting on a rock or a heart-shaped crater, can be explained by natural phenomena and visual illusions.
However, some still believe that these are evidence of alien civilizations, and some even theorize that aliens deliberately hid these structures.
While these discoveries may excite the imagination, NASA prioritizes studying areas that could potentially contain evidence of life over pursuing controversial geological formations.
When evaluating information about Mars, consulting multiple reliable sources rather than relying on a single image helps avoid hasty conclusions about the existence of aliens.
