Photos taken by NASA's Curiosity Rover on April 2nd and 3rd, 2014 have been causing a stir. The photos taken from the rover's right navigation camera shows a light off in the distance, that appears to be shooting up from the surface. The photos created such a buzz that NASA was quick to issue a statement explaining their content.
The light, seen in both photos from the right navigation camera is said not to appear in photos taken by the left camera, at the same moment. NASA says that this could possibly be the result of a cosmic ray hit or the maybe the sun reflecting off of a distant rock.
Some who have viewed the photos have claimed the photos are proof of life on Mars. NASA is not willing to damage it's international reputation for good science by making highly speculative claims. NASA is attempting to explain the phenomenon using every reasonable and realistic criteria at it's disposal.
Since Curiosity's landing on Mars in August 2012 there have been lots of new discoveries. So far, the existence of life has not been one of them. However, when one looks at photos such as those released that show a light in the distance, one can't help but look at the landscape and marvel at how similar it looks when compared with that of the Earth's. Who could help wondering that even if life isn't found there, that proof that it once was there, may still be waiting to be discovered.
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