Rocks on Mars, nicknamed “blueberries”
If you’re feeling hungry, it’s probably best not to currently be on Mars, as you could easily mistake these rock formations for blueberries. These hematite-rich spherules are named after the fruit because of their similar appearance. They were photographed by NASA in 2004 when their rover was exploring the Fram crater on the Red Planet. As with many of these intriguing images of Mars, the size of the captured objects is deceptive. Although they may appear as large as average-sized pebbles, NASA revealed that the area shown in the image is actually only 1.2 inches in diameter. These “blueberries” are therefore small enough to be swallowed, although this is certainly not recommended.
Like the statue in the British Museum
It’s fascinating how some of these enigmatic images of Mars can really intrigue us. When people were first exposed to the image on the left, some were convinced they’d seen it before. They quickly drew a parallel between the rock formation and a Neo-Assyrian divine figure on display at the British Museum. The similarity was so striking that it prompted speculation that Martians might have borrowed the statue or recreated it in the image of earthly creations. Some even questioned the possibility that Mars’ Opportunity rover had never actually left our planet. However, it turns out that this resemblance was actually just another example of how light and shadow can deceive our senses.