The rock that forms the dark 'figure' also has lighter pink surfaces to the right and left of it. These are the same color as the background, and it is hard to distinguish the two. The regions above and below the 'arm' are part of the same right-hand surface. The 'figure' seems to be a dark or shadowed region formed when the edge between these two surfaces was knocked off. Weathering may have caused the top-left to bottom right striations. The left pancam filter 7 image shows this a bit more clearly than the others. The 3D shape we see is largely an effect of grazing light, and most of the features we see may be concave rather than convex.

Even when I know what the real shape is, I still see the little mermaid.

I am reading this thread about six months too late, and I am very disappointed in the critical thinking ability of many Universe Today readers. Why do you think the government is covering up evidence of extraterrestrial life? Are you so paranoid and cynical that you have lost the ability to trust other human beings?

Please think your comments through to their logical conclusion before posting them on the internet where other "intelligent beings" can read them. Why would a scientific organization cover up the biggest scientific discovery of all time? From a purely political perspective, any scientific org. would stand to gain immense new sources of funding and enjoy a high level of influence on government spending. From a scientific perspective, that organization would enjoy tremendous respect and prestige from the scientific community, let alone the world. Finally, I'm absolutely certain that a little secret like the discovery of extraterrestrial life coul be kept under wraps for any length of time.

These are but three reasons why you government conspiracy theorists are wrong about this photo. There are many others, and I ask that you think about the possibility you are wrong before stating "facts" on respectable websites such as Universe Today.

did mars at one time have intelligent humanoid life?
yes, very likely

do i believe in most of the theories about the cydonia region?
most of them

is the gov't "covering up" a lot of things about mars?
probably, it's most likely but i don't lose sleep over it

is this a picture of a living being or a statue of some sort?
i doubt it

We have pictures of every astral body in our solar system, I haven't heard anybody seeing so many weird shapes elsewhere but on Mars.

And every time NASA picks up a landing place, this is flat and bland, while the many places with questionable structures are ignored. Then if the first pictures shows something unusual, days passed without the viewers receiving direct downloading.

I suppose you will be saying the moon is the same size as the sun next!!!
There is life somewhere else in this universe, maybe even in the subsoil of mars, but intelligent life needs to be in the goldilocks zone… which is where some of the plant pots here seem to be!!

Mars is just not right for intelligent life, but some day we will find intelligent life, maybe not in our lifetimes but someday. They may have even found us already, but we don't know they are there.
You all believe in radio waves and microwaves but you can't see them!

Be afraid be very afraid… mmuuwwwhhhhhahahahahaha!!!

Dude, you need to take it easy on the cough syrup.

Why in the heck would the government want to cover something like this up if they had real evidence?? It would provide an excellent opportunity to introduce heavy controls and limited freedoms. Not to mention unlimited funding for military and science.

No, the government would be all over this and it would be in you're face day and night.

Jamie

I have always believed that NASA has been finding things in our solar system over the past 30 years to make scientists change their minds, and we aren't being told about what they are finding, probably on orders from the government.

I suspect they are getting us ready for something and it's scary what it might be!

Mulder and Scully, where are you when we need you!!!

True, if you do look closely, it does "appear" to look humanoid. However, how many other times in history have we claimed that we have seen evidence of life on other planets (or moons). The man on the moon? The face carved into a mountain on Mars? Both of these and more have been examined, and proven to be natural formations.

Besides, even if there was something alive there, it would need something to eat and drink, and I don't think that rock and dust would be very palatable. Not to mention the temperature difference due to the thin atmosphere.

Perfecto!!!

[...] não passa de uma pequena parte de uma rocha na superfície marciana. Podem ler mais sobre isto, aqui e [...]