Undeniable Grafiti on the Mars Head

I've done a search and haven't found anything like this, so I thought I'd share. I was looking at the 2001 Hi-res photo of the Face on Mars with my cousin, and thought to myself "wow, that's quite the photo". Suddenly, my cousin started giggling and I asked "what are you laughing at", to which he just started giggling more and pointing. Befuddled (and frankly feeling kind of left out) I exclaimed "WHAT!?!", to which he outlined with his finger:

(It's quick as to not offend anyone)


"Oh my God!, what the... *laughter building* it's a?" then I was overcome by giggles. Quickly, I brought this into photoshop and colored it in (I have a good JPEG of it, but didn't want to break any rules and was unsure if posting an outline of cartoon genitalia would be inappropriate). For how perfectly detailed this is, complete with pubic hair, the mystery doesn't stop there. Upon zooming in, a whole slew of new images filled my field of vision:

A Cartoon Dog


A Weird Feline Type Face


A Grey with a Claw Foot Holding it's Head


A Weird Mammal-Fish Hybrid (I took some liberties with the sides of the mouth, but the upper and lower lips are there)


Some Weird Creature with Two Big Claw Arms


And there's a lot more, feel free to outline and post up what else you see. But what does this all mean? Why? Who? I'm sure some may just be down to random weathering/erosion, but others are undeniably on purpose. Is this some kind of message? Or is it just plain juvenile graffiti meant for a laugh? They got me and my cousin, so mission accomplished if it's just for laughs.

Wow, that is quite an imagination you and your cousin have there ...Don't worry it is a good thing lol..

Originally posted by Sahrhyce
Wow, that is quite an imagination you and your cousin have there

...Don't worry it is a good thing lol..

Thank you, imagination is the door to higher self and the universal consciousness so I take this as a compliment.

Do you see the images? What's your opinion on them?

Well, if nothing else, this thread is good for a deep hearty belly laugh. I also admire the creativity and efforts of the OP.

It's also a reminder that we are prone to seeing more than what really might be there. It prompts me to ask...on an entire planet of rocks and dust, are we really so surprised at the possibility that a face-shaped rock might appear simply by random chance augmented by human imagination? Yes, I've read Graham Hancock's work on the topic and was swayed by his powerful arguments and marshalling of evidence. But sometimes a cigar is just a cigar, no?

[edit on 3/25/10 by silent thunder]

Originally posted by silent thunder
Well, if nothing else, this thread is good for a deep hearty belly laugh. I also admire the creativity and efforts of the OP.

Thanks, I do try and stay creative when I can.

It's also a reminder that we are prone to seeing more than what really might be there. It prompts me to ask...on an entire planet of rocks and dust, are we really so surprised at the possibility that a face-shaped rock might appear simply by random chance augmented by human imagination? Yes, I've read Graham Hancock's work on the topic and was swayed by his powerful arguments and marshalling of evidence. But sometimes a cigar is just a cigar, no?

Yes, sometimes a cigar is just a cigar, but look at the "rooster" and balls. It's so perfect and the depth is uniformly carved all the way around. Doesn't it make you question it at all? Or to you is it just natural erosion? Varying opinions welcome of course.

Maybe I'm alone on this, but I think it's on purpose. With the advent of Google Earth many school aged children and young adults have pulled similar pranks in grass and even in one instance on the roof of their school with spray paint. If it's a joke, I'm glad I could at least share the laughter, which is important in and of itself in my opinion.

I was reading a science magazine and apparently humans try and find faces in anything. Be it clouds or sand, we do it on instinct. I suppose it is a way to find comfort or some sort of familarity with an object.

To answer the question, Yes I do see the images but only after you point them out are they obvoius...There is no up and down of the image, try and turn it on its sides and see what you can see

Thanks for the laugh . It's nice to know that Martian vandals have a sense of humor.
On a serious note, I would bet it's similar to seeing images in a wood grain pattern. Our minds just search for recognizable patterns. I believe someone else mentioned that above as well.

Originally posted by Sahrhyce
I was reading a science magazine and apparently humans try and find faces in anything. Be it clouds or sand, we do it on instinct. I suppose it is a way to find comfort or some sort of familarity with an object.

To answer the question, Yes I do see the images but only after you point them out are they obvoius...There is no up and down of the image, try and turn it on its sides and see what you can see

It is very true that we're wired to find patterns, and I'll get to putting the image on it's side probably tomorrow or something.

Originally posted by crafty_gnome
Thanks for the laugh

. It's nice to know that Martian vandals have a sense of humor.
On a serious note, I would bet it's similar to seeing images in a wood grain pattern. Our minds just search for recognizable patterns. I believe someone else mentioned that above as well.

The level of detail in the Mars Dong (newly coined) is just screaming to me that it's on purpose. It's got the head, shaft (even the urethra is carved out), testicles and properly placed pubic hair. If Mars was Earth-like at one point in time the idea that maybe youths there thought it would be funny to do this doesn't seem so outlandish.

For some hilarious reason it's in our nature as children/young adults to draw dongs on things.

Occam's Razor comes to mind..

Also Matrixing.... We see what are mind is familiar with or what maybe we desire. (gonna leave it at that)

Originally posted by Ekudram
Occam's Razor comes to mind..

I'm familiar with Occam's Razor, is weathering really the simplest explanation? Are you insinuating that wind and airborne debris has a juvenile sense of humor?

Also Matrixing.... We see what are mind is familiar with or what maybe we desire. (gonna leave it at that)

Your opinion is your opinion, but I can tell you with 100% certainty I didn't matrix the Mars Dong, it's there for all to see. If I show you a picture of an apple, you're not matrixing a picture of an apple, you're just looking at a picture of an apple.

You forgot the one in the upper left corner saying "Gnorgzak was here 12.000 BC"

Nevertheless funny thread.

I love ATS!

You actually make a very valid claim according to some ppl's standards.

S&F

LOL;
I think you have just been staring at that picture for too long

There is a beautiful and under-used term for this: pareidolia.

Pareidolia: "a psychological phenomenon involving a vague and random stimulus (often an image or sound) being perceived as significant." (wikipedia)

John

Originally posted by vjr1113

I love ATS!

You actually make a very valid claim according to some ppl's standards.

S&F

Thank you, I think the evidence speaks for itself.

Originally posted by DjSharperimage
LOL;
I think you have just been staring at that picture for too long

Perhaps, but the Dong was pointed out within the first minute of observation, it's the most obvious.

Originally posted by AstroEngineer
There is a beautiful and under-used term for this: pareidolia.

Pareidolia: "a psychological phenomenon involving a vague and random stimulus (often an image or sound) being perceived as significant." (wikipedia)

John

I'll give you that for most of the images, but the Dong is something else. It looks like it was done on purpose.

This isn't what it was????

Very nicely done ^^^