NASA’s Curiosity rover showed an interesting photograph of a small cave or perhaps an alien door on Mars carved into the rock. The internet erupted when NASA released the image Thursday last week.
But, the image captured by Curiosity is not a Martian doorway. Several clues revealed that it’s not an actual door because it is tiny (less than 3 feet). Or this could mean that Martians were small.
Experts believe that this is just a Martian landscape. The explanation is seen in the grainy photograph when examined closely.
The internet speculation raised the possibility that the small door was caused by a seismic Marsquake in 2021, fracturing the whole mountain before exposing the rock caused by the hydraulic water pressure.
Mars erodes
Experts believe that what looks like a door is a shallow opening in the rock caused by natural forces, according to Neil Hodgson, British geoscience firm vice president. Rock layers are seen on the planet, dipping on the left but higher on the right. He said:
No Marsquakes
Mars Science Laboratory project scientist Ashwin Vasavada said they have been traveling through the area formed from ancient dunes that cement together and develop a rocky outcrop.
It shows evidence that the crack is a fracture formed through normal geological processes claimed Professor Sanjeev Gupta, who worked on the Curiosity mission with NASA.
A fissure or deep crack is visible inside the door, indicating a rock fracture, which happened on Earth and Mars a hundred million years ago.
So as speculation continues the doorway looking alcove is interesting as it has caused people to use their imagination.
Written by Janet Grace Ortigas
Edited by Sheena Robertson
Sources:
Live Science: The ‘doorway’ seen on Mars is not for aliens. Here’s how it really formed.
New York Post: NASA footage captures ‘doorway,’ inspires theories of life on Mars
Sky News: NASA picture of Mars ‘doorway’ spawns conspiracy theories – this is what you’re really looking at
Featured and Top Image Courtesy of Andrea Luck’s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
Inset Image Courtesy of AlexAntropov86’s Pixabay Page – Creative Commons License
