LOOK: Is this a “Dark Lady” on Mars?

NASA recently released a photo taken by Curiosity, a car-sized robotic rover exploring Mars, of what appears to be “a woman, partly cloaked” standing on the surface. The figure has been dubbed the “Dark Lady” and many fanatics believe this is proof of life on Mars. The image was first brought to public attention by UFO Sightings Daily.

Launched from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida on November 26, 2011, Curiosity has been exploring the planet and its terrain. As part of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)’s Mars Science Laboratory mission (MSL), the rover’s goals include the investigation of the Martian climate and geology; assessment of whether the selected site inside Gale Crater has ever had environmental conditions favorable for microbial life, including an investigation into the role of water; and planetary habitability studies in preparation for future human exploration.

The public is being warned, however, to not simply believe one photo, especially one that sees a figure from afar. The “Dark Lady” phenomena may simply be a form of Pareidolia Syndrome, a condition where the brain connects imagery from illusive forms and perceives them as easily identifiable objects.

Seth Shostrak, chief astronomer at the Center for Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI) Research, said that people often perceive objects that “frequently resemble something you wouldn’t expect to find on the rusty, dusty surface of the Red Planet. It’s usually some sort of animal (and) occasionally even weirder objects such as automotive parts.”