Did NASA Mars Rover find a secret Alien doorway? Find out the truth behind this shocking image

Did NASA Mars Rover Curiosity just find a secret alien lair? That was the question the internet was asking yesterday as a strange image was shared by the rover from the red planet. In the viral image, a perfectly carved rectangular doorway in a rock formation could be seen. This image confused many netizens into believing that it could be a secret entrance for aliens. It would indeed be surprising if after searching for them in every nook and corner of the universe, this is how we found the evidence of aliens. But the netizens were convinced that this immaculately sculpted door has to be made by an intelligent species. So, do aliens exist? And have they chosen to reside in caves on Mars? Read on to find out. Also read: NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope to share spectacular images in July.

NASA Mars Rover finds a strange doorway

The image was taken by the Mast Camera (mastcam) of the NASA Mars Rover Curiosity on May 7. The image came from a geological location called Greenheugh Pediment, where the rover was taking samples and scanning the territory. The image in question does appear to be a doorway within a large rock formation, typically seen on our planets as signs of caves or entrances created by ancient civilizations. The similarity between the two is what led a lot of people to believe that it could be some ancient Martian civilization which created it. However, it is far from the truth.

According to a report by Science Alert, this convincing image may have nothing to do with aliens. It appears that the doorway is instead a shear fracture in the rock formation. This could have formed as a result of a strain on the rock which resulted in a part of it breaking off. Possible explanation for this is also attributed to earthquakes on the planet. Reportedly, NASA Mars Rover Curiosity has experienced quite a few earthquakes since landing on Mars, with the largest recorded just a few days back on May 4. Also read: NASA finds fragments of the asteroid that destroyed the dinosaurs.

Another interesting fact about the image that many did not consider is that while the image appears to be full-size, it is more likely that the door-like carving is only a few centimeters wide. A bigger and colorized version of the image reveals the size of the entire structure and how large the doorway appears to be compared to it. For those struggling to find the door, it is located at the top of the image, towards the left corner.

Why a lot of people were convinced of it being a doorway for aliens is being explained by a phenomenon called pareidolia. It is a tendency of our brain to perceive a specific, often meaningful image in a random or ambiguous visual pattern.