Entomologist Claims NASA Rover Photos Reveal 'Winged, Flying Insects' and Reptiles on Mars

An entomologist presented a written report claiming NASA rover photographs reveal possible winged, flying insects and reptilian forms on Mars during the 19 November 2019 Entomological Society of America Conference in St. Louis, Missouri. Dr William Romoser, an emeritus professor at Ohio University, argued that his visual examination of images taken primarily by NASA's Curiosity rover showed what he interpreted as both living and fossilised organisms on the Martian surface.

To recall, the presentation relied on photographic surveying by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory and NASA, whose public archives provided raw data for the researcher's written report. Editor's note, IBTimes UK cannot independently verify these claims, so take everything lightly.

Examining NASA Rover Photos for Martian Insects

Dr Romoser based his contentious findings on anatomical markers, searching for segmented body parts, legs, wings and interactions between possible organisms. He analysed numerous frames, referring to the shapes as insect-like forms and noting many examples of each type.

In his analysis, the researcher highlighted a particular sequence of frames showing what he interpreted as apparent insects in flight. His catalogue included bee-like creatures alongside specimens exhibiting three distinct body sections he interpreted as resembling a head, a thorax and an abdomen.

Spotting Winged Flying Insects In Mars Photos

To pinpoint these shapes, the professor sought out symmetry, body segmentation, repeated forms, skeletal remains, apparent movement and multiple objects situated together in single frames. He labelled certain photographs with features such as compound eyes, forelegs, hindlegs and wing bases.

Another photograph was interpreted by Dr Romoser as showing a wing caught on the rover, complete with visible longitudinal veins, cross-veins and cells. To bring out details, he adjusted image brightness, contrast and saturation levels, and utilised image inversion on the digital files.

The academic stressed that he added no new features and removed nothing present in the original NASA photographs. Applying the scale of the original images, he estimated that one photographed shape measured approximately twenty inches in length. In his written report, Dr Romoser argued that the aggregate of his description appeared quite compelling, while emphasising that his interpretations remain speculative and subject to revision upon further investigation.

Discovering Reptiles on Mars Through Rover Photos

The written report did not stop at airborne specimens, as Dr Romoser extended his visual interpretations to what he classified as reptile-like forms across the Martian terrain. On one photographic plate, he compared a shape discovered in a Martian debris field directly with the front view of an Eastern King Snake.

Within that specific plate, he pointed out perceived eyes, bilaterally symmetrical structures and an oral opening, presenting some genuinely wild interpretations of the rocky landscape. His paper describing possible fossilised life on Mars similarly drew visual comparisons between fossilised serpent-like reptiles and ancient insect-like fossils.

Predator And Prey Behaviour in Martian Images

Additional plates were presented during the conference as evidence of possible predation activity between the different interpreted organisms. Dr Romoser highlighted an image that he described as depicting a reptile-like creature with an insect-like form captured within its jaws.

He noted in his presentation that insect-like creatures seen in the images appeared to be being preyed upon by the reptile-like creatures. The academic maintained that his collection contains raw images and panoramic images derived from several Mars missions, though most of his analyses relate to information provided directly from NASA's Curiosity mission.

Comparing Findings With NASA Curiosity Rover Mission

NASA defines the core scientific purpose of the Curiosity rover differently than Dr Romoser's biological interpretations. Launched on 26 November 2011 and arriving on Mars on 6 August 2012, Curiosity investigates how our solar system formed and evolved.

Operating within Gale Crater, the vehicle is roughly the same size as a small SUV and carries ten scientific instruments. These tools include seventeen cameras, a laser that vaporises very small portions of rocks for sampling purposes and a drill that creates powder from rock for analysis. NASA states that Curiosity has sampled forty-two rocks using this drilling mechanism.

Detecting Organic Molecules Using NASA Curiosity Rover

Early in its mission, Curiosity established chemical and mineral evidence that ancient Martian environments likely supported microbial life. The robotic explorer remains focused on searching for organic molecules, which are carbon-based chemicals necessary to create biological processes.

These organic molecules can also develop via abiotic processes across the planetary surface. NASA reported that Curiosity successfully detected long-chain organic molecules, specifically decane, undecane and dodecane, inside a drilled sample called Cumberland. As per NASA's webpage related to the mission, these represent the longest chain organic molecules previously detected on Mars. The grand search for life continues, leaving these visual claims of bugs and beasts as entirely unproven stuff.