Accidentally captured photo revives theories of aliens on Mars

2026-08-14 13:40:00Lifestyle SHKRUAR NGA REDAKSIA VOX

Accidentally captured photo revives theories of aliens on Mars

A photo captured by NASA's Curiosity rover on Mars has reignited discussions about the possibility of life on the Red Planet.

The photograph shows a small shape, which at first glance appears to have a body and two thin legs.

The image was recorded on August 20, 2023, while Curiosity was photographing the rocky landscape of Mars. In some images taken less than a minute earlier, this feature is not visible, raising questions about its origin.

The photo has gone viral again on social media, with various users raising numerous theories. Some have described the shape as a "jellyfish" or a UFO-like object, while others have suggested it could simply be a camera glitch, an optical effect, or a feature of the Martian terrain.

Researcher Jean Ward also shared the image, describing the shape as a jellyfish-shaped object. Meanwhile, other online commentators have offered a variety of ideas, comparing it to a scarecrow or a "tripod."

However, there is no evidence that the figure is an extraterrestrial creature or life form. The fact that it does not appear in other images of the same area makes it impossible to determine from the photographs whether the object has moved or whether it is an artifact of the image.

Curiosity has been on Mars since 2012, and one of its primary mission objectives is to determine whether the planet ever had conditions suitable for microbial life. NASA emphasizes that the search is primarily concerned with traces of ancient microbial life, not with the discovery of living creatures on the surface.

Meanwhile, NASA's Perseverance rover has produced more concrete data. In September 2025, NASA announced that a rock sample taken from an ancient riverbed in Jezero Crater contains "potential biosignatures" - signs that may be biological in origin, but that require further study to confirm or rule out a connection to life.

So while the mysterious figure in the Curiosity rover photo continues to fuel online theories, it doesn't constitute evidence for life on Mars. For now, it remains a vague object in an image of the Red Planet's surface.


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