This image has fascinated me, not least because of the interest the original object created, but If you look below the object (in this image.... Here ) you can see what looks like a small blue out of place stone, notice the chevron track it has created (just before the shadow), there is another small object further left that has left tracks too (albeit less obvious), adding more contrast will show them clearer (inverting the image shows it more).
I apologise for not posting the images, but I cannot upload images at the moment.
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"Creating a fiction when stating a fact destroys the credibility of the truth one are trying to convey"
It is part of the arm, this bit is the top 'hinge' and I imagine it is moving quite a bit with the imaging and all the experiments. Perhaps the laser dislodged part of the casing in error, or the landing ripped a portion around a cable tie. I would also like to see where they claim it came from but it may be difficult to image it if it is in this area ? I know what you mean about the tensile strength of shrink wrapped plastic as I myself grit my teeth in frustration everytime I try to open a CD, computer game or food item with the stuff on it
Is that part of the scoop? For those to be off, the wire bundles would have to be broken. That stuff is really tough. Its a pain to cut through the crappy heat-shrink we have at my work that comes from Digi-key. I cant imagine what kind of mil-spec stuff they would be using. Hopefully better. Still an unbeliever untill they show the damage.
Xenon, did you say egg case? Maybe thats where the impression of the teeth and the web foot or fin come in? I think that might have been where Polluks original insect shell post was going.
NASA have tended to use coloured cables and things when fitting out the rover. I wonder where this piece comes from if it is indeed a part which has become detached. I would like to see where they tell us it comes from and I would like to see another piece still attached to show us what it used to look like. I still cannot imagine that something like this could have become detached, so my hunch is that it is NOT from the rover.
I will be really interested to see how they explain it now that it has become 'famous' and mainstream news.
Since we are looking at this piece of ground with the fish 'thingy' in it...
One other thing which is interesting in this image is a number of small bright areas. I do not think these are dead pixels, (but they could be, of course) I have marked them with a red circle and a blue arrow. There are 4 of them, so what are the chances that these might be something else. The one at the top is particularly bright and obvious when zoomed in on. The one at the bottom is a bit of a stretch (of the imagination).
Actually, I think there may be areas of brown/green smudge on this image very much like there are on the Google images of some areas of the Antarctic. Looking closely, there are some organised tiny structures which may be hidden by this. See what you think, or you may think I am just pulling your leg perhaps.
goggog - Thanks for the much better image of this 'thing'.
Even in this one, we can see the 'overlay' of smudge that NASA have placed on this if you zoom in a lot. It is like you are looking through a bathroom window (from the inside.... out !! haha) which makes everything slightly out of focus. It certainly does not look like a piece off the rover at the moment but more like a butterfly chrysalis or that kind of thing. Might have been an alien's arm or something if the rover blasted it with its laser? I always said that laser was not just to do chemical analyses.
Goggog, thank you for the image. It now looks more like a piece of plastic (in my opinion). If it matches the size of the cabling of similar colour held onto the arm with ties, I believe that may be what we are looking at.
-- Edited by Chandre on Friday 12th of October 2012 10:51:05 AM
Thanks for bringing me back to earth Q. I do apologise for my knee jerk reaction as I am used to being defensive. I of all people should look at all alternatives possible without being hypocritacal. That said, I have done a bit further of study on this pic and have come to the same conclusion. This appears to be a fossilized or well preserved impression with salt?? growths on portions of it. It appears to be at least partially sunken into the surrounding medium, whatever that is. There is also something I did not see the first time which is a fin or flipper with webbing and ribs. I have attached the files, totally unenhanced by my artwork to show what I mean. This is not a plastic clip.
I am really, really impressed with those teeth ! However, the first couple of images which are made into gif animations make it look as if it is metalic - particularly the 'foot' piece. The only thing I can think of is that the 'clip' may have had rough bits (looking like small teeth) on it to grip the cable better. If NASA can show us a clip from many angles and close up, then I think it may be argued in their favour. (this time)
What occurs to me is that - just like Phoenix and Spirit, I suspect that the Martians did not waste any time in jumping on-board and starting to dismantle the Curiosity rover too ! It is un-imaginable to me that a 'piece' of rover would travel all those thousands of miles and then plop off when it gets there after surviving the rough descent and landing. I think that whoever made Curiosity would have made sure that things were pretty secure and on there for eternity. After all, you cannot send the rover back to the manafacturers for a service if it is on Mars.
Nothing plopped off Opportunity or Spirit that we know od anyway and they have been roving around for a total of about 12 years collectively plus Phoenix before them too. Thats a lot of time if something was going to work loose and plop off.
No... I am convincing myself that this is not a piece of Curiosity which has naturally worked it way loose and fallen off. Sorry NASA I just dont believe that.
There are some really strong arguments being made for all theories here, very good work ! Other people on other sites are also arguing for the biological side, but polluks has presented a very strong image that may support the casing. My question would be what is the exact size of the wiring on the vehicle and do the clip sizes match the indentation ? If so, then that is a good argument as well. Worrying that some protective casing on exposed wires may have been ripped off....
To add my two cents, I have a preserved specimen of a sea-horse that looks a lot like this with the 'teeth' highlighted by Macten looking a lot like the corrugated tail section of the horse. Just to add to the fray.
I guess it really doesn't do any good to post what took me a half hour to do to the pic. Really, I am not drawing things into my work. I only enhance and very slightly at that.
If you dont believe me then go get photoshop, put the photo in it, press control J to make as many layers as you want, select the overlay function from layers drop down , select the filter, other, high pass. and use the slider to get the optimal pic. Do this for every layer and you will get the same results as I did.
LOL! Dont think it is a fish, At least not like here on earth.
I put this one thru the mill as i could see the teeth. It took 8 layers at 30 degrees of overlay to get this detail.
I did slightly enhance the eye and teeth but it is pretty evident this was a meat eater. From the condition of the mouth it is also evident this thing is very dead. I am wondering how long it has been here, dead. Did the rover use its laser on it?