Every so often, images from Mars captivate the internet, fueling speculation about alien structures or strange formations on the Red Planet. I have been covering some of these “enigmatic” discoveries for many, many years. But there is one really interesting feature on the red planets surface that seems to revive the interests interest more often than not. A supposedly “square structure” was captured by NASA’s Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) and Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC). The photograph, which recently resurfaced on social media, has ignited intense debates about its origins and meaning. Again.
How the Mars Image Went Viral
The excitement apparently began on Reddit’s r/aliens subreddit before gaining mainstream traction when high-profile figures like Joe Rogan and Elon Musk shared it on X (formerly Twitter). Within hours, the speculation machine went into overdrive, with theories ranging from ancient Martian settlements to evidence of intelligent life.
The image, interesting and thought provoking is indeed something worth analyzing. But we need to face these “discovered” with a sense of interest but also logic. What needs to be said here is that the viral image had been slightly altered from its original state. The true version, available in scientific archives, does indeed show a square-like feature, but the editing seemed to have “brought out more” of the structure than it is visible on the initial images.
A Natural Phenomenon or Something More?
The photograph itself captures a region spanning approximately 3 kilometers (1.9 miles) across, according to Arizona State University’s Mars Image Explorer. While some claim that naturally occurring square formations are impossible, history tells a different story.
Earth is home to countless geometric natural formations, from the hexagonal basalt columns of the Giant’s Causeway in Northern Ireland to Saturn’s hexagonal storm at its north pole. Geological and atmospheric processes are more than capable of shaping landscapes into forms that appear artificially constructed—without any extraterrestrial intervention.
Why Our Brains See Patterns That May Not Exist
I have covered countless articles where I write about “mysterious discoveries” that turned out to be nothing more than ou r brain playing games with us. The human tendency to recognize familiar shapes in random objects is known as pareidolia, an evolutionary trait that once helped our ancestors detect threats in their environment. This psychological effect makes us perceive faces in clouds, animals in rock formations, and, in this case, a square structure on Mars.
This isn’t the first time Mars has sparked unfounded excitement about alien civilizations. In the late 19th century, astronomer Giovanni Schiaparelli reported seeing “canali” (Italian for channels) on Mars, which were misinterpreted as canals constructed by intelligent beings. Astronomer Percival Lowell later fueled the theory, dedicating years and significant funding to proving that Mars was home to a complex system of waterways designed by an alien race. His claims were ultimately debunked, but the idea of Martian civilizations persisted in popular culture for decades.
Could There Be Something More?
While mainstream science remains skeptical about alien structures on Mars, the quest for extraterrestrial life is far from over. Rovers like Perseverance and future missions such as the Mars Sample Return are actively searching for evidence of microbial life. If life ever existed on Mars, scientists expect to find it in the form of ancient fossilized microorganisms, not city ruins. And if you think about this with just a bit of logic in mind, then you’d probably come to the same conclusion as I do.
If there was indeed a civilization that existed on the surface of Mars, it probably existed million and millions of years ago. If, and I am not saying it did exist, but if it did, we would probably have to physically excavate places of interest and be lucky enough to find traces of its existence, hoping it has not eroded away after so much time. And while this photograph from Mars is indeed very interesting, it is proof of absolutely nothing. Nothing yet.
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