It all started on Reddit, in the “aliens” community, where an image of a mysterious square structure on the surface of Mars resurfaced. Its shape, too regular to appear natural, sparked fascinating theories: could it be an ancient alien ruin?
Elon Musk, the visionary CEO of SpaceX, seized the opportunity, responding to a post by podcaster Joe Rogan on X (formerly Twitter) with a comment that was bound to set the internet ablaze:
🚀 “We should send astronauts to investigate!”
The controversial image of Mars: shocking discovery or just a rock?
The image in question, which has gone viral on social media (albeit with some retouching), is not actually new. It dates back to 2001 and was captured by the Mars Orbiter Camera aboard NASA's Mars Global Surveyor probe. It shows a portion of approximately 3 km of the Martian surface, specifically in the Ramanathan crater (Lat: 28.088766°, Lon: 27.74899°).
Even back then, its apparent symmetry had led to speculation about the possible remains of a lost civilisation. However, according to experts, this is merely an illusion generated by pareidolia, the psychological phenomenon that leads us to recognise familiar shapes in random elements. In short, nothing more than rocks shaped by wind and time.
Elon Musk and Mars: the dream continues
Musk has never hidden his goal of colonising Mars, and every opportunity is good for fuelling the debate. Does he really believe it is an artificial structure? Probably not. But his comment is part of his strategy to keep the spotlight on the conquest of the Red Planet.
Science fiction or reality? For now, the only certainty is that the mystery of Mars continues to fascinate. And perhaps, one day, we will indeed have astronauts ready to discover the truth.
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