Strange figure on Mars surface?

[Dr Mindbender]

what do you make of this?

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=m5lnavfxZWo&feature=related

[Oneironaut]

It does look suspiciously like bigfoot. I don't think its a life form though. Probably just another optical illusion.

[al8]

This is old urban myth. I remember it was definitively shown to be just a rock. Just goes to show how easily this sort of hype gets recycled. There are many factors that contribute to this optical illusion; a coincidence of of lighting and disregard of the sizes involved -- people have in addition not studied other pictures of the mars rovers, and have thus no sense of context. Even in the same picture as this rock there are, as some would say, more convincing human shapes that are more to size, but yet go uncommented. And an understanding of geology and geological formations makes this sort of conclusions ridiculous to the trained eye. Just as a metorologist or enlightened farmer can read an explain clouds and cloud formations their without taking recource to make up fantasy on-the-spot terms such as "bunny-looking clouds" or shaping a mythology around them.

For this is in fact what pictures such as these are built on; pareidolia. The act of seeing faces or familiar shapes in randomly shaped objects. Like seeing shapes and faces in clouds, trolls in rock formations or religious figures in tortillas.

[Comrade B]

Other life will have evolved in a totally different way from earth life. I sincerely doubt that there is anything else of near the body shape of humans.

[Lynx]

Definitely bigfoot out for a stroll...

[Revy]

This is the side of a rock. It's what is called pareidoilia. Your eye sees things that are familiar and connects them to a preconceived concept.

[Dr Mindbender]

This is the side of a rock. It's what is called pareidoilia. Your eye sees things that are familiar and connects them to a preconceived concept.

considering the definition of some of the pictures i've seen i have trouble believing it's an ordinary rock. It almost looks like a small statue of some sort.

the 'face' was an optical illusion but this i'm not so sure of.

http://img.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2008/01_04/LifeOnMarsBARC_468x290.jpg

[JorgeLobo]

It;s Elvis sitting on a toilet.

[ÑóẊîöʼn]

What's more likely, that this is just wind-carved rock that looks from this angle to be a human figure, or that there's a Martian civilisation that's left no trace of itself apart from this suspiciously humanoid statue?

[AAFCE]

What's more likely, that this is just wind-carved rock that looks from this angle to be a human figure, or that there's a Martian civilisation that's left no trace of itself apart from this suspiciously humanoid statue?

This seems more likely.

[Rosa Lichtenstein]

Lord Lucan.

[For those who do not know who that character is:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Bingham,_7th_Earl_of_Lucan]

[Bilan]

Bet you it's a rock.

[al8]

considering the definition of some of the pictures i've seen i have trouble believing it's an ordinary rock. It almost looks like a small statue of some sort.

the 'face' was an optical illusion but this i'm not so sure of.

http://img47.imageshack.us/img47/2863/jibergrisi968701qb6.jpg (http://imageshack.us)


Is this then proof that intergallactic space invaders settled Icelands western higlands in the past? Or maybe proof that norse mountain-giants really exist(ed)? Or is this just a rock that looks sufficiently like a face from this angle?

The latter is of course true. When you look at the other side of the rock formation this becomes abundantly clear (I can't fin a picture of it, but I've seen it). In Iceland there are alot of strange natural stone formations that can bare this or that similarity with various objects, from one side or the other.

Superstitious folk in the past and present can't seem to get it through their thick skulls that these are random objects. They always take recourse to their mythology to explain things they don't understand. Now people take to a similar thing. They take to another interpretive schema -- taken from sci-fi fiction instead of the science of geology.

I'm telling you UlsterSocialist, as someone who is familiar with rocky landscapes -- this is a rock. I could find endless pictures of all shapes and sizes similar to almost any other thing, if I spare it time. But this is enought for now.

[Revy]

What's more likely, that this is just wind-carved rock that looks from this angle to be a human figure, or that there's a Martian civilisation that's left no trace of itself apart from this suspiciously humanoid statue?

I think it's the side of a rock, and the dark part is covered by shadow. if you look closely this is apparent. It appears to be a figure, but that's only because the photo is not clear enough to show the difference between the rock and the ground.

[Dr Mindbender]

What's more likely, that this is just wind-carved rock that looks from this angle to be a human figure, or that there's a Martian civilisation that's left no trace of itself apart from this suspiciously humanoid statue?

all things considered, its entirely possible that intelligent beings have visited mars before us.

I would expect you to acknowledge that, noxion.

Given the high speed winds and duststorms on mars and considering the fact that there has been no human interaction with the planet other than a few flimsy robots it wouldnt be surprising if we've missed a lot of details.

[Dr Mindbender]

http://img47.imageshack.us/img47/2863/jibergrisi968701qb6.jpg (http://imageshack.us)



i think you need a fairly vivid imagination to interpret a face there.

The martian 'man' is far more greatly defined.

[ÑóẊîöʼn]

all things considered, its entirely possible that intelligent beings have visited mars before us.

I would expect you to acknowledge that, noxion.

It is indeed possible, but not more possible than wind-carved rock, which is a commonly observable natural phenomenon that has been known to produce some fantastic shapes.


Given the high speed winds and duststorms on mars and considering the fact that there has been no human interaction with the planet other than a few flimsy robots it wouldnt be surprising if we've missed a lot of details.We would definately have noticed a civilisation capable of producing small statues that was existant recently enough for their artefacts to survive.

For one, such a civilisation would require a biosphere, and we would have detected it or at least traces by now.

[Dr Mindbender]

We would definately have noticed a civilisation capable of producing small statues that was existant recently enough for their artefacts to survive.
Not necessarilly. If it was old enough the evidence would like be buried under tons and tons of the iron oxide sand.

Given the amount of the stuff and given the speed of the wind this is highly likely.


For one, such a civilisation would require a biosphere, and we would have detected it or at least traces by now.
Perhaps the younger Mars was life supporting at some stage in it's lifetime? Or perhaps it was host to a more adaptable species more aclimatised to the environment.

Whichever the case the existence of liquid water residue certainly suggests it may have once been much less of a harsh place.

[ÑóẊîöʼn]

Not necessarilly. If it was old enough the evidence would like be buried under tons and tons of the iron oxide sand.

Evidence like... a little statue?

And if you're going to say that the wind could have blown off the regolith, then why haven't we found any buildings uncovered by the wind?


Given the amount of the stuff and given the speed of the wind this is highly likely.And it's also more likely that larger, more visible structures such as buildings would have been uncovered.


Perhaps the younger Mars was life supporting at some stage in it's lifetime?That was billions of years ago. Time enough to smash a little statue pieces, let alone larger and more obvious pieces of evidence.


Or perhaps it was host to a more adaptable species more aclimatised to the environment.Even if the organic chemistry of this alleged martian biosphere was completely different to ours, it would still stick out like a sore thumb. Life needs energy. Chemical based life, whether it uses CHON or not, uses chemical reactions to get energy. the chemicals involved in such reactions must be reactive, and reactive chemicals don't last long in an environment without life.

Earth has large amounts (21% of total atmospheric content) of free oxygen, which is produced by it's biosphere. If that biosphere suddenly disappeared tomorrow, then the oxygen would gradually bond with other chemicals and would eventually become unbreathable.

A biosphere with a different chemistry to Earth's would produce a similarly unstable equilibrium, but with different chemicals.


Whichever the case the existence of liquid water residue certainly suggests it may have once been much less of a harsh place.Yes, but while that makes previous life on Mars more likely, it doesn't make it a dead cert, or even a good chance, by a long shot.

Really damning evidence for the existance of previous life on Mars would be the discovery of fossils or geological strata that can only be produced by living organisms such as limestone.

[Dóchas]

its probably just a hoax that someone made up on a rainy day

[Glenn Beck]

It's a member of the bigfoot species, a scout in specific, searching for water and perhaps artifacts of past civilizations to report back to the bigfoot enclave that was recently established on the edges of Cydonia after the Bigfeet fled Earth. No longer able to hide from the dominant Reptilianoids that control Earth, they found it prudent to flee somewhere outside of the sphere of Reptilian influence so that they may recover their diminished population, marshal their forces, and eventually take back Earth and liberate their debased mutant cousins, made hairless by wicked and perverse Reptilian experimentation.

True Story

[Dr Mindbender]

its probably just a hoax that someone made up on a rainy day

It doesnt rain on Mars.

bad-a-bam-boom-ching.

[Dóchas]

It doesnt rain on Mars.

bad-a-bam-boom-ching.

touche ulster socialist...but i meant on this planet you know like video editing and all that jazz

[Peaceful Revolutionary]

Ha. Seems a little too coincidental that such an infamous creature such as bigfoot would also be spotted on another planet. New theory:

A tribe of Bigfoot sent out a few of their own in a small space capsule. They put them into a state of suspended animation, out of which, they would not wake until they landed, and though most died upon impact, there were a select few that survived that continue to roam the earth up to this very day.

Sounds plausible :D

[Rosa Lichtenstein]

More 'faces' on Mars here:

http://www.metaresearch.org/solar%20system/cydonia/preliminary-analysis.asp

Check out Figure One.

Better images here:

http://www.metaresearch.org/solar%20system/cydonia/3-faces.asp

http://www.msss.com/mars_images/moc/extended_may2001/face/index.html

[al8]

i think you need a fairly vivid imagination to interpret a face there.

The martian 'man' is far more greatly defined.

That is a matter of opinion. I've seen many people just jump in their pants and think it eire and spectacular. I don't think the 'martian man' to be that well defined. And much less so when after I read an article from a geologist, when this stuff first stirred up and became a popular topic.

[Forward Union]

It's Hitler

[Revy]

It's a member of the bigfoot species, a scout in specific, searching for water and perhaps artifacts of past civilizations to report back to the bigfoot enclave that was recently established on the edges of Cydonia after the Bigfeet fled Earth. No longer able to hide from the dominant Reptilianoids that control Earth, they found it prudent to flee somewhere outside of the sphere of Reptilian influence so that they may recover their diminished population, marshal their forces, and eventually take back Earth and liberate their debased mutant cousins, made hairless by wicked and perverse Reptilian experimentation.

True Story


lmao :laugh:

[Revy]

Ulster Socialist, I'm not completely skeptical about the possibility of a very ancient and long dead Martian civilization.

I just don't think that this is really evidence. First of all, the picture would have to be clearer to show any kind of difference between the figure and the rock that I believe it's a side of.

[cop an Attitude]

its a rock

[Dust Bunnies]

Its a conspiracy theory!


Maybe it is just a rock...

[bcbm]

To even begin to call it something more than a rock you would need close up images of it at many different angles. Personally I think it is just a rock and we're alone in this corner of the galaxy.

[Jazzratt]

On earth we have rocks that look like dicks, people take pictures of them and they appear on humour sites. On mars it appears that they have rocks shaped like people. It's not all that mind blowing.

[bcbm]

Clearly the dick rocks were carved by insecure alien frat boys.

[al8]

I've also seen pictures cliff formations that look like a vagina.

[bcbm]

Sounds like they need to get together to... get their rocks off...