# Mars where rover touched down looks ‘Earth-like’: How long before the conspiracy theories start? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 8, 2012, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mars-where-rover-touched-down-looks-earth-like-how-long-before-the-conspiracy-theories-start/630911 "2012-08-08T23:06:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Snow\_Pea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dbc845/32.png) [@Snow\_Pea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snow_Pea)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2012, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mars-where-rover-touched-down-looks-earth-like-how-long-before-the-conspiracy-theories-start/630911/1 "2012-08-08T23:06:20Z")
[http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/nasa-rover-sends-back-video-and-first-color-picture-of-landscape-prettier-images-yet-to-come/2012/08/07/1841bf26-e0f2-11e1-8d48-2b1243f34c85\_story.html](http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/nasa-rover-sends-back-video-and-first-color-picture-of-landscape-prettier-images-yet-to-come/2012/08/07/1841bf26-e0f2-11e1-8d48-2b1243f34c85_story.html) CT’s in 3…2…1? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2012, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mars-where-rover-touched-down-looks-earth-like-how-long-before-the-conspiracy-theories-start/630911/2 "2012-08-08T23:25:02Z")
[CT Begins] Obviously the atmosphere on Mars is much thicker than they tell us it is. Otherwise there wouldn’t be dust blowing in the wind and the landers wouldn’t be able to use parachutes. [/CT] ---
**Author:** ![MEBuckner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mebuckner/32/2896_2.png) [@MEBuckner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MEBuckner)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2012, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mars-where-rover-touched-down-looks-earth-like-how-long-before-the-conspiracy-theories-start/630911/3 "2012-08-09T00:24:55Z")
“The ancient Martian crater where the Curiosity rover landed looks strikingly similar to the Mojave Desert in California with its looming mountains and hanging haze, scientists said Wednesday.” Connect the dots people!!! _ **THE MOJAVE DESERT IS ON MARS!!!** _ ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2012, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mars-where-rover-touched-down-looks-earth-like-how-long-before-the-conspiracy-theories-start/630911/4 "2012-08-09T00:27:00Z")
How long before someone appears on one of the CT websites claiming that he was out driving in the Mojave and came across the rover, then had his camera confiscated and his life threatened by men in black waving federal badges? ---
**Author:** ![Rigamarole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rigamarole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rigamarole)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2012, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mars-where-rover-touched-down-looks-earth-like-how-long-before-the-conspiracy-theories-start/630911/5 "2012-08-09T01:43:45Z")
Doesn’t this thing have HD cameras? Where are the pictures? I just see a low-res video with crappy CGI. ---
**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2012, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mars-where-rover-touched-down-looks-earth-like-how-long-before-the-conspiracy-theories-start/630911/6 "2012-08-09T02:32:02Z")
When the penguins march by ---
**Author:** ![Gagundathar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a183cd/32.png) [@Gagundathar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gagundathar)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2012, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mars-where-rover-touched-down-looks-earth-like-how-long-before-the-conspiracy-theories-start/630911/7 "2012-08-09T02:50:22Z")
This was posted as a comment for the linked article: > [@](#): > > “The ancient Martian crater where the Curiosity rover landed looks strikingly similar to the Mojave Desert in California with its looming mountains and hanging haze, scientists said Wednesday.” > > Because in all likelihood, it probably is. It’s all a hoax. They say they landed something on Mars, but are bamboozling us with some pictures on Earth with some Photoshop tricks sayin’ it’s Mars, all the while pocketing the $2.5 billion this nonsense cost us taxpayers. Shut NASA down and save some money. That was at 2159 EDT. Do I win? ---
**Author:** ![LC\_Strawhouse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e19adc/32.png) [@LC\_Strawhouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LC_Strawhouse)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2012, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mars-where-rover-touched-down-looks-earth-like-how-long-before-the-conspiracy-theories-start/630911/8 "2012-08-09T04:06:54Z")
> [@Snow\_Pea](#): > > [http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/nasa-rover-sends-back-video-and-first-color-picture-of-landscape-prettier-images-yet-to-come/2012/08/07/1841bf26-e0f2-11e1-8d48-2b1243f34c85\_story.html](http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/nasa-rover-sends-back-video-and-first-color-picture-of-landscape-prettier-images-yet-to-come/2012/08/07/1841bf26-e0f2-11e1-8d48-2b1243f34c85_story.html) > > CT’s in 3…2…1? 😃 Forget the Mars photos - I’m much more disturbed by the photo of the two scientists hugging, in that linked article. That is deeply disrespectful to their respective spouses at home and could easily lead to heartbreak/divorce (I won’t even get started on whether it could constitute workplace harassment as well). Even a successful space mission is no excuse for that kind of behavior. ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2012, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mars-where-rover-touched-down-looks-earth-like-how-long-before-the-conspiracy-theories-start/630911/9 "2012-08-09T22:09:58Z")
How long before the CT’s _start?_ Why, it was all a hoax from Tee Minus One and everyone with a lick-o-sense knew it! Well HUMPH! Who in his right mind ever believed _in the first place_ that we sent a mission to Mars? Fools all! :smack: ---
**Author:** ![DMark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@DMark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMark)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2012, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mars-where-rover-touched-down-looks-earth-like-how-long-before-the-conspiracy-theories-start/630911/10 "2012-08-10T15:31:14Z")
I have to admit, so far the photos kind of look like anywhere 10 miles outside of Las Vegas, but without the billboards. ---
**Author:** ![Gorsnak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gorsnak/32/7587_2.png) [@Gorsnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gorsnak)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2012, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mars-where-rover-touched-down-looks-earth-like-how-long-before-the-conspiracy-theories-start/630911/11 "2012-08-10T15:43:56Z")
> [@DMark](#): > > I have to admit, so far the photos kind of look like anywhere 10 miles outside of Las Vegas, but without the billboards. But the billboards have been there for ages… OMG, they’ve invented a time machine and they’re using Mars as cover for testing it!! ---
**Author:** ![Diceman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Diceman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diceman)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2012, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mars-where-rover-touched-down-looks-earth-like-how-long-before-the-conspiracy-theories-start/630911/12 "2012-08-10T16:52:44Z")
Hell, there are large swaths of the Western US that look exactly like that! Just off the top of my head, it could pass for large portions of Arizona, New Mexico, Utah, or Nevada. Probably southern California and western Texas too, but I haven’t personally been to either state. ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2012, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mars-where-rover-touched-down-looks-earth-like-how-long-before-the-conspiracy-theories-start/630911/13 "2012-08-10T17:35:59Z")
Damn it Cohagaan! Those people need air! ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2012, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mars-where-rover-touched-down-looks-earth-like-how-long-before-the-conspiracy-theories-start/630911/14 "2012-08-10T17:43:10Z")
> [@LC\_Strawhouse](#): > > Forget the Mars photos - I’m much more disturbed by the photo of the two scientists hugging, in that linked article. That is deeply disrespectful to their respective spouses at home and could easily lead to heartbreak/divorce (I won’t even get started on whether it could constitute workplace harassment as well). Even a successful space mission is no excuse for that kind of behavior. Am I being whooshed? You can’t hug at work now? There is no reason that couldn’t be 100% platonic, or they are both single, or they ARE married, or they are related, or 100 other perfectly normal reasons. They knew there was media there, if they were having a secret affair don’t think you think that would have been the worst time to hug? Geez. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2012, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mars-where-rover-touched-down-looks-earth-like-how-long-before-the-conspiracy-theories-start/630911/15 "2012-08-10T17:43:55Z")
> [@LC\_Strawhouse](#): > > Forget the Mars photos - I’m much more disturbed by the photo of the two scientists hugging, in that linked article. That is deeply disrespectful to their respective spouses at home and could easily lead to heartbreak/divorce (I won’t even get started on whether it could constitute workplace harassment as well). Even a successful space mission is no excuse for that kind of behavior. This is a joke, right? It’s hard to tell anymore. ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2012, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mars-where-rover-touched-down-looks-earth-like-how-long-before-the-conspiracy-theories-start/630911/16 "2012-08-10T18:56:00Z")
> [@Senegoid](#): > > Why, it was all a hoax from Tee Minus One and everyone with a lick-o-sense knew it! > > Well HUMPH! Who in his right mind ever believed _in the first place_ that we sent a mission to Mars? Fools all! :smack: Upon more detailed analysis of the photos, I am all the more convinced of the monstrous hoax this is! Those pictures are from Tatooine! ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2012, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mars-where-rover-touched-down-looks-earth-like-how-long-before-the-conspiracy-theories-start/630911/17 "2012-08-10T19:13:28Z")
> [@Gagundathar](#): > > This was posted as a comment for the linked article: > > That was at 2159 EDT. > > Do I win? These people are aware that we’ve had pictures from the surface of Mars since 1976, right? ---
**Author:** ![Gorsnak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gorsnak/32/7587_2.png) [@Gorsnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gorsnak)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2012, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mars-where-rover-touched-down-looks-earth-like-how-long-before-the-conspiracy-theories-start/630911/18 "2012-08-10T19:56:17Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > These people are aware that we’ve had pictures from the surface of Mars since 1976, right? Hah! You actually believe that? You actually think Spirit and Opportunity could really have lasted so long on Mars? Hell, they can’t actually last that long on Earth. NASA drives out into the Mojave with replacements during every “Martian winter”. You’re soooo naive. :rolleyes: 😛 ---
**Author:** ![gunnergoz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e95f7d/32.png) [@gunnergoz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gunnergoz)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2012, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mars-where-rover-touched-down-looks-earth-like-how-long-before-the-conspiracy-theories-start/630911/19 "2012-08-10T20:01:05Z")
> [@Rigamarole](#): > > Doesn’t this thing have HD cameras? Where are the pictures? I just see a low-res video with crappy CGI. No, no HD cameras. The photos HD cameras produce require too much bandwidth to transmit and storage space to store on the lander. They have been optimized to be robust and reliable. From what I’ve read, the actual camera technology being used is apparently about 7-8 years old, having been frozen early in the design to be consistent with the KISS principle. Reliability is the key word here. ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2012, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mars-where-rover-touched-down-looks-earth-like-how-long-before-the-conspiracy-theories-start/630911/20 "2012-08-10T20:53:54Z")
You can plainly tell this photos are from Planet X or Nabooty or whatever it’s called. From the shadows it’s obviously on a collision course with Earth! [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mars-where-rover-touched-down-looks-earth-like-how-long-before-the-conspiracy-theories-start/630911.md?page=2)