The Harvard astronomer demands that NASA clarify what the Curiosity rover actually discovered on the Red Planet.
A mysterious cylindrical object approximately 20 centimeters long with a flat base was first photographed by the Curiosity rover in 2022 during its exploration of Gale Crater on Mars. It has now sparked debate among scientists once again. Some believe it could be part of NASA's rover equipment, while others suggest that this artificial object may have a different origin. For instance, this is the opinion of Harvard astronomer Avi Loeb, a well-known proponent of the idea of advanced extraterrestrial civilizations, writes Focus citing NDTV.
The images of the strange cylindrical object were first discovered among the raw images from the Curiosity rover when it was exploring the foothills of Mount Aeolis, the central peak in Gale Crater on Mars. The shiny object has a perfectly round cylindrical shape and a length of about 20 centimeters. Many scientists believe it is a man-made object, possibly part of the equipment of either the rover itself or a fragment of the landing module that brought it to Mars in 2012.
Curiosity has previously lost small parts during its journey across Mars. It is worth noting that its length is about 3 meters, width is 2.8 meters, and height is 2.2 meters. It weighs nearly 899 kilograms and is equipped with a robotic arm that is 2.1 meters long and wheels with a diameter of 50.8 centimeters.
Avi Loeb has called on NASA to explain the origin of the object or to direct the Curiosity rover to it in order to determine what it actually is. So far, NASA has not responded to the request and has not provided an official explanation.
The Harvard scientist believes that this mysterious cylinder could certainly be a man-made object, but it is also possible that it has a different origin. Avi Loeb did not clarify what he meant by the word "different": a regular rock that has taken the shape of a cylinder, or is it an artificial object created by someone other than humans?
In the scientist's opinion, investigating the mysterious object could provide valuable information about its origin, and this should be one of Curiosity's main tasks.
Currently, the Curiosity rover is exploring the lower slopes of Mount Aeolis, about 8 kilometers from the location of the cylinder.
"To clarify the mystery, it would be logical to return to the location of the cylinder and study it up close. At Curiosity's maximum speed of 0.16 kilometers per hour, the rover could return within a few days," says Loeb.
