Latest Pic from Mars. Where's Waldo?

[Astra.]

If the weird anomaly in the crevice of the rock is above board - and not some type of silly hoax.

I wonder if somebody from NASA could explain it - as it certainly doesn't look like any part of the rocky formation.

[Lilly]

Perhaps the so called 'crab' was formed by volcanism or weathering? All in all, it is certainly some type of rock formation that just resembles a crab. Our brains search for things that look familiar, this why we tend to see skulls. mermaids, bunnies and now crabs in the rock formations on Mars.

[Astra.]

Perhaps the so called 'crab' was formed by volcanism or weathering?

Absolutely Lilly - perhaps it was.

All in all, it is certainly some type of rock formation that just resembles a crab.

All the same - it is still a strange rock formation in the small crevice - in comparison to the surrounding rocks.

It would be good though if NASA could verify - whether it be a rock - sodified martian soil - a fossil - or even a hoax.

Our brains search for things that look familiar, this why we tend to see skulls. mermaids, bunnies and now crabs in the rock formations on Mars.

Yep - people certainly can get carried away with their imaginations. And most of us suffer or have suffererd -

pareidolia from time to time. The face on Mars was a classic example of this.

Still though it's pretty awesome that we are able to see these wonderful pictures that are relayed back from Mars -

by the rovers via NASA. - exciting stuff huh ?

After all - that's part of what NASA's objective is - to study and search for ancient life - such as microorganisms -

and ancient water - related to rivers or lakes that may have once been habitable.

Also - taphonomy - to study the processes of fossillization etc....

I just wish that I was still around 100 yrs from now - the mind boggles as to what knowledge mankind will have.

Edited August 5, 2015 by Astra-

[Space Commander Travis]

Perhaps the so called 'crab' was formed by volcanism or weathering? All in all, it is certainly some type of rock formation that just resembles a crab. Our brains search for things that look familiar, this why we tend to see skulls. mermaids, bunnies and now crabs in the rock formations on Mars.

crystals and things can produce patterns like that in rocks.

Oh my g, maybe there are crystals on Mars!!

[bubblykiss]

That's not a crab, it is a giant-rock spider egg clutch.

When will people learn how to identify alien creatures that they have never seen before, geez.

Edited August 5, 2015 by bubblykiss

[seeder]

[BiffSplitkins]

[ExoPaul]

I just asked an expert who is at the top of her field when it comes to being an expert on these sort of things and Miss Ripley informs me it is most definitely a Facehugger and should be avoided at any and all costs. Personally I think she is just worried about health and safety red-tape and the threat of legal action so we should definitely send a manned-mission to Mars to investigate this further!

[BeastieRunner]

It looks like fungus or lichen.

That'd actually be kinda cool but I know it's not the case here.

[Sundew]

I looked it up, a little Rid Shampoo will take care of crabs.

[Merc14]

It's the Rock Lobster (now that song is in your head for the next 2 hours )

ChrLzs, I believe, did a long post about the problems that occur when you blow these images up on your computer with the various programs we commonly use to manipulate images. If I could find it I'd link back but this looks like the pixelation problem he was describing.

Edited August 5, 2015 by Merc14

[Rolci]

I love the funny explanations. "Clinging" seems to be a persistent human trait.

[seeder]

Im no imagery expert, but see the pre-zoom? I wonder how much it was 'enhanced'. If it is really that shape etc, Its one of the better anomaly images Ive seen

Edited August 5, 2015 by seeder

[Junior Chubb]

Im no imagery expert, but see the pre-zoom? I wonder how much it was 'enhanced'

snip

Yup, the levels and contrast have been tweaked to exaggerate the detail, it looks pretty nondescript before the zooming in. I do find it really intriguing though, it reminds me of one of those crabs with 'faces' on their shells. Shame there is no idea of scale, this thing could be huge.

[Dark_Grey]

I will patiently wait for the geology gymnastics they'll have to undergo to explain this one. Blown up or not, the "legs" of this anomalous rock thing are pretty distinct.

[clivey32]

why don't thay take a pic 24 hours later see if it still there ?

[Anomalocaris]

why don't thay take a pic 24 hours later see if it still there ?

If this thing is no longer there, that doesn't prove much to be honest

Edited August 5, 2015 by Anomalocaris

[skookum]

I keep two tropical crab tanks. They are incredibly versatile, they can vanish for weeks and appear later. Others spend their entire life outside water in my tanks.

I can't say these are crabs on Mars but I reckon they could adapt to waterless conditions. What doesn't add up is the food source but they baffle me in my tanks what they eat.

[Junior Chubb]

why don't thay take a pic 24 hours later see if it still there ?

Welcome to UM Clivey

Now I am no expert on the programming of planet rovers but I would guess this anonymity was spotted long after the image was taken and received on Earth by someone who has nothing to do with NASA. Going back is probably not an option and about as important to NASA as as the weather on Pluto is to me.

Rock formations tend not to move much in 24 hours anyway.

[DemonicCupcake]

Mannnn that photo has been doctored to ****!

Here's a zoom of the original, and the original with an HDR filter. Clearly nothing like the edited photo in the story.

[seeder]

Welcome to UM Clivey

Now I am no expert on the programming of planet rovers but I would guess this anonymity was spotted long after the image was taken and received on Earth by someone who has nothing to do with NASA. Going back is probably not an option and about as important to NASA as as the weather on Pluto is to me.

Rock formations tend not to move much in 24 hours anyway.

This is true of course, tho Im sure NASA end up hearing about these stories and check some of them out, if only for the entertainment value...plus the rovers dont exactly cover miles per day, just metres, slower than a speeding snail

[Mantis914]

I keep two tropical crab tanks. They are incredibly versatile, they can vanish for weeks and appear later. Others spend their entire life outside water in my tanks.

I can't say these are crabs on Mars but I reckon they could adapt to waterless conditions. What doesn't add up is the food source but they baffle me in my tanks what they eat.

I keep hermit crabs also and it is (in the least) to say how amazing these creatures are. Since they are mostly nocturnal, you hear a lot of their clatter in the middle of the night which takes some getting used to but after some time, it gets to where you feel at ease that something else is alive (especially, if you live alone like I did at the time). I would definitely say that climbing is a great talent that crabs have and a rock face would be ideal for a crab. Anyway, it's not the first time that we've had a crab here in UM...

[Zalmoxis]

I would like to believe it but there's no way to know without further examination.

[The_Spartan]

looks like those critters from aliens movie franchise ..that latches on a human's face to hatch??

[Stealth_Goat]

I'm not a geologist, but it sure doesn't look like a rock formation to me. Reminds me of cave art left by Native Americans. Even without the blown up picture, you can definitely notice a strange anomaly amongst the rocks. Bottom line, we have no idea what alien life looks like, so I recommend keeping an open mind.