NASA reveals rodent life on Mars (photo)

Pat Macpherson, Pfc. Sandoval, Seth Auberon, Wisdom Quarterly; Space.com; NASA

Scavenging on the water-rich planet even after the loss of much of its atmosphere (NASA)

  

It's not that cute; have you seen my routine?

A Mars rock that bears a [strik]ing resemblance to a rodent is scuttling across the Internet with gusto, even inspiring some fans to set up a Twitter account in its name.

 

UFO buffs spotted the purported [Rocky the Squirrel or dismissively named] "Mars rat" in a panoramic photo snapped in September 2012 by NASA's Curiosity rover. Zooming in on a portion of the image reveals what appears to be a rodent crouching between two rocks, its nose to the ground.

 

Earthling squirrel with its infant child (TMA)

"It's a cute rodent on Mars. Note its lighter-color upper and lower eyelids, its nose and cheek areas, its ear, its front leg and stomach," Scott Waring wrote at UFO Sightings Daily back in December. 

 

"Looks similar to a squirrel camouflaged in the stones and sand by its colors."

• VIDEO: "Mars Rat" photographed by Curiosity rover

Artist's rendition of the rocky squirrel (L)

In an update to that post, Waring raised the possibility that NASA flew the rat/squirrel to Mars secretly, as part of an experiment [to terraform] testing out the Red Planet's ability to support life as we know it.

 

"Why would they not tell us about it?" Waring wrote. "Because the squirrel would be expected to die eventually and that would get PETA [People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals] to fight against them in a court of law." More

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