For the professor emeritus of Ohio University, the analysis of images from Mars rovers shows sufficient evidence, which justifies further investigation.
As scientists race to determine whether there is life on Mars, Professor Emeritus's research William romoser from Ohio University already shows evidence. According to his study, they are clearly visible from the photographs of the rovers present on the red planet.
Dr. romoser, specialized in arbovirology and medical / general entomology, for years he has been studying photos from the red planet available on the Internet. He found numerous examples of insect-like shapes, structured similar to bees, as well as reptile-like shapes, both fossil and living. For those who want, several photos are here, accompanied by a summary pdf.
Today he presented his findings at the national meeting of the Entomological Society of America in Saint Louis, Missouri.
“There has been and still is life on Mars,” Romoser says bluntly, noting that the images seem to show fossil and living creatures. “There is an apparent diversity among the insect-like Martian fauna that displays many characteristics similar to terrestrial insects that I interpret as advanced groups (the presence of wings, their flexion, agile flight and other elements of the legs).”
A systematic review
Romoser said that while Martian rovers, particularly Curiosity, are looking for indicators of organic activity, there are a number of photos that already offer evidence of life on Mars, because they clearly depict insect- and reptile-like shapes. Numerous photos show images in which arthropod body segments, along with legs, antennae and wings, can be spotted from the surrounding area and one even appears to show one of the insects in a steep dive and then rising again before hitting the ground.
The individual images have been carefully studied by varying the photographic parameters such as brightness, contrast, saturation, inversion and so on. No content has been added or removed.
“Once a clear image of a given shape was identified and described, it was useful in facilitating the recognition of other less clear, but still valid, images of the same basic shape”he said romoser. “An exoskeleton and jointed appendages are sufficient elements to establish identification as arthropods. Three body regions, a single pair of antennae, and six legs are traditionally sufficient to establish identification as an insect on Earth.
These characteristics should also apply to identifying an organism on Mars as an insect. On these bases, in the photos of the rover on Mars you can see arthropod shapes and similar to terrestrial insects, evident evidence of life on Mars.
Insects on Mars
The flight behavior of “Martian insects” is evident in many images, Romoser says. These creatures vaguely resemble bumblebees or land bees.
Other images show these "bees" appearing to take refuge or nest in caves. Still others show a fossilized creature resembling a snake.
Romoser, a professor of entomology at Ohio University for 45 years and co-founder of the Tropical Disease Institute, also spent nearly 20 years as a vector-borne disease researcher at the U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases .
Between 1973 and 1998, Romoser authored and co-authored four editions of the widely used textbook in many institutions, “The Science of Entomology.”
Romoser noted that interpretations of insect and reptile-like creatures could change in the future as knowledge of life on Mars evolves, but that the sheer volume of evidence is compelling.
The conclusions of the study
"The presence of higher metazoan organisms on Mars implies the presence of nutrient/energy sources and processes, food chains and webs, and water as elements that function in an ecological environment, albeit extreme, sufficient to support life.", said the academic.
“I have observed cases suggestive of standing water or small streams. Noto small submerged rocks, larger rocks, a wet area on shore, and a drier area beyond the wet area. Water on Mars has been reported several times, including surveys made by Viking, Pathfinder, Phoenix and Curiosity instruments. The evidence for life on Mars presented here provides a solid basis for many other important biological, as well as social and political questions.".