Philosophy
NASA managed to snag this unique picture of an elephant-shaped lava flow on Mars in the Elysium Planitia sector of the planet. Located on a Martian plain known for displaying some of the planet’s youngest lava flows, this flow may have occurred within the past 100 million years – a relatively short time in the planet’s history. The Red Planet is largely believed to be relatively inactive at present day.
University of Arizona planetary geologist Alfred McEwen told MSNBC:
As for the elephant? It’s a classic case of pareidolia, a psychological phenomenon where human brains see familiar objects in random shapes. It is also the same reason why people often see bunnies and animals in the clouds. And Mars often gets wacky images associated with it — think little green men.
pareidolia [Wikipedia]
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Like Earth and other terrestrial planets, Vesta has ancient basaltic lava flows on the surface and a large iron core. It also has tectonic features, troughs, ridges, cliffs, hills and a giant mountain. False colors in this montage represent different...
- Soon..."curiosity" Will Be "up, Up, And Away" Towards Mars...november 25th, 2011
"NASA: New Mars rover will look for the ingredients of life" November 10th, 2011 Los Angeles Times If you think that people who believe in the possibility of extraterrestrial life are kooks, you probably haven't talked to a NASA space scientist...
- The Lambroghini Of Mars?--at 0.00037mph
"Pull over buddy. This is a school zone." "Martian Road Trip: A Three-Year Journey at 0.00037 M.P.H." by Michael D. Lemonick August 15th, 2011 Time Missions to Mars rarely go as planned. In some cases, that's a bad thing: from 1998...
- Giovanni Virginio Schiaparelli--belated Birthday
Giovanni Virginio Schiaparelli March 14th, 1835 to July 4th, 1910 A belated birthday to Giovanni Virginio Schiaparelli along with "pi" and Albert Einstein. His maps of Mars led Percival Lowell to formulate his "canal" ["canali"] hypothesis of Mars....
- Imagination: Art Vs Reality
This is a photo of Hebrus Vallis close to the base of the Elysium volcanic complex and illustrates two interesting items: Lava flow channels and the thousands of small impact craters. A thermal emission image [Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS)]...
Philosophy
Martian pareidolia
"An Elephant on Mars? At Least According to This NASA Photo"
by
Erica Ho
April 9th, 2012
Time
by
Erica Ho
April 9th, 2012
Time
NASA managed to snag this unique picture of an elephant-shaped lava flow on Mars in the Elysium Planitia sector of the planet. Located on a Martian plain known for displaying some of the planet’s youngest lava flows, this flow may have occurred within the past 100 million years – a relatively short time in the planet’s history. The Red Planet is largely believed to be relatively inactive at present day.
University of Arizona planetary geologist Alfred McEwen told MSNBC:
“Most lava floods on Earth are emplaced over years to decades, and this is probably true for much of the lava on Mars as well. An elephant can walk away from the slowly advancing flow front. However, there is also evidence for much more rapidly flowing lava on Mars, a true flood of lava. In this instance, maybe this elephant couldn’t run away fast enough.”
As for the elephant? It’s a classic case of pareidolia, a psychological phenomenon where human brains see familiar objects in random shapes. It is also the same reason why people often see bunnies and animals in the clouds. And Mars often gets wacky images associated with it — think little green men.
pareidolia [Wikipedia]
- The Iau Will Have A Problem Now...asteroid Or Dwarf Planet--vesta
Like Earth and other terrestrial planets, Vesta has ancient basaltic lava flows on the surface and a large iron core. It also has tectonic features, troughs, ridges, cliffs, hills and a giant mountain. False colors in this montage represent different...
- Soon..."curiosity" Will Be "up, Up, And Away" Towards Mars...november 25th, 2011
"NASA: New Mars rover will look for the ingredients of life" November 10th, 2011 Los Angeles Times If you think that people who believe in the possibility of extraterrestrial life are kooks, you probably haven't talked to a NASA space scientist...
- The Lambroghini Of Mars?--at 0.00037mph
"Pull over buddy. This is a school zone." "Martian Road Trip: A Three-Year Journey at 0.00037 M.P.H." by Michael D. Lemonick August 15th, 2011 Time Missions to Mars rarely go as planned. In some cases, that's a bad thing: from 1998...
- Giovanni Virginio Schiaparelli--belated Birthday
Giovanni Virginio Schiaparelli March 14th, 1835 to July 4th, 1910 A belated birthday to Giovanni Virginio Schiaparelli along with "pi" and Albert Einstein. His maps of Mars led Percival Lowell to formulate his "canal" ["canali"] hypothesis of Mars....
- Imagination: Art Vs Reality
This is a photo of Hebrus Vallis close to the base of the Elysium volcanic complex and illustrates two interesting items: Lava flow channels and the thousands of small impact craters. A thermal emission image [Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS)]...