Friday, January 25, 2008

It's just a rock folks

There's been a lot of talk lately about the picture released by NASA of what looks like a Martian reclining on a rock...



I've got news for you folks. It's just a wind-shaped rock. The human eye has a tendancy to want to put familiar forms into anything we see. That's why we see patterns in clouds and in ink blots. This is just the same thing. There aren't humanoid Martians hanging out on the surface of Mars waiting for our rovers to drive by...nor is there a human face on Mars as so many people thought after the early Mars missions.

If, and it's a big if, there is life on Mars, it is probably microbial, or maybe small microbial colonies, and it would be beneath the surface where the UV won't destroy it.

3 comments:

Jim Shannon said...

Hi J, kind of off topic here but in case you missed it:

Did you see Robert J Sawyer's post today? Penguin Canada is looking for an editor. I thought you'd be great fit for this.

The application link is on RJS's blog.

Jim

Cellophane Queen said...

Ah, gee. Ruining my fun, J.

I suppose it's like that big face, too.

I want extraterrestrials!!! GIMME! There's no intelligent life on this planet.

J Alan Erwine said...

Jim-I did see that posting, but I won't apply. My girlfriend thinks it's too cold in Denver, so I'm sure she'd hate Toronto.

Marva-According to some, we're visited all the time...but don't even get me started on that one...