Red Planet Day: Top Mars conspiracy theories about alien life

On Red Planet Day, IBTimes UK looks at the more extraordinary claims surrounding the search for life on the distant planet. The discovery of liquid water on Mars has led scientists to believe there is a much greater possibility of finding some evidence for life forms on the fourth rock from the Sun.

Alfred McEwen, professor of planetary geology at the University of Arizona, said: "The possibility of finding life in the interior of Mars is very high. There is water in the crust and we know Mars has received meteorites from Earth. Microbes can survive that trip, making it very likely life could be found in the crust of Mars."

Mars caused climate change on earth

Radio host Rush Limbaugh believes the news that there is water on Mars is part of a left-wing agenda. "I would assume it would be something to do with global warming... maybe there was once an advanced civilisation." The controversial radio host warned about 'dubious science' being used to promote the 'climate change agenda' on Earth.

Nasa is keeping secrets about life on Mars

Conspiracy Outpost has claimed that Nasa is withholding information about life on Mars, using the discovery of water on the red planet as a soft introduction to the public about the possibility of alien life without causing panic.

Below is an an image captured by the orbiting Mars Global Surveyor. Nasa called it a "huge rock formation ... which resembles a human head ... formed by shadows giving the illusion of eyes, nose and mouth." Conspiracy theorists leapt on the idea that the Face was concrete evidence that Nasa was hiding information about alien life on Mars.

Mysterious Mars lady

UFO Sightings website posted a Nasa photo which they believe shows an alien woman watching the Mars rover. The size of the female is tiny as the scale of the image would make the 'being' only 8cm to 10cm tall. Alien life hunter Scott C Waring said: "The woman seems to have breasts... indicated by the shadow on its chest. We also see two arms that are lighter in colour and what looks like a head with long hair."

Evidence of ancient Egyptian pyramids

YouTube channel Martian Archaeology posted a video showing what seems to be a number of eroded pyramid structures, including one with a Sphinx-like face, in NASA photographs of the rocky Red Planet surface.

Citing the "near-perfect design and shape" they argue the 'pyramid' is evidence that an ancient civilisation once lived on the red planet. While the pyramid is believed to be the size of a car, alien hunters speculate that a much larger structure is buried beneath.

Life on Mars was annihilated by a nuclear attack

An Indian probe caught some images of Mars that appeared to show a crater from a massive explosion on the surface of the red planet. This has fuelled speculation from scientists, including physicist and author John Brandenberg, that intelligent life was destroyed by a nuclear attack.

The author of Death on Mars said that many of the nuclear isotopes in Mars's atmosphere "resemble those from hydrogen bombs on Earth" and expands on the theory that a humanoid race once lived there but was wiped out.

"This Martian civilization apparently perished due to a planet-wide catastrophe of unknown origin," he writes, citing craters visible on the surface near the Curiosity Rover. "Was it a massive nuclear attack?"

An army outpost stocked with weapons and missiles

In April 2015, former United Nations worker Andre Gignac claimed that photos taken by a Mars rover revealed the existence of a bunker with at least one soldier. He also believed that the bunker could be an access point to another, even bigger underground site. "You can see a person behind the bunker's window," he told Cryptozoology News. He claims that "not far from this bunker are missiles, rockets and structures deployed in a circle."

Fossilised Martian iguana

It's not only little green men that might be lurking behind rock formations but also lizard life forms. Red Planet enthusiasts claim to have spotted a perfectly preserved fossilised iguana.

Apparently animal sightings are amongst the most prevalent claims. "This is not the first animal found on Mars, actually there have been about 10-15 to date," Waring told news site agoracosmopolitan.com.

Extra-terrestrial contractors at work

A set of pictures released by a NASA navigation camera appear to show a human-like figure working on the Mars Curiosity Rover. The 'workman' isn't wearing a helmet and he is wearing an airtank on his back. Gary McKinnon, an alleged computer hacker, reportedly obtained classified documents from the US government, claiming he found files showing the existence of "extra-terrestrial officers".