New NASA photos show what appears to be morse code on the surface of Mars

PHOTOS released by NASA have sent conspiracy theorists into overdrive after what looks like morse code was spotted etched into the surface of the Red Planet.

These photos appear to prove that Martians have been trying to communicate with us using the code - but all is not as it seems.

The images of the planet's surface do appear to show a series of dots and dashes, similar to those which make up letters in the morse alphabet.

But the photos, which show the Hagal Dune field near the planet's north pole, actually depict patterns created by gusts of wind, rather than any attempt at inter-species communication.

The unusual patters are formed thanks to a sand shortage in the dune field, according to experts, who said the dots and dashes were caused by small quantities of Martian sand being blown over the rocky surface and collecting in cracks.

The shots were captured by Hi-RISE, a visible light and near-IR camera on the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter.

The camera operators explained how the unusual patterns were formed,  that the planet was lacking in sand around the old impact crater where the shots were taken.

The crater's unique shape, probably caused by a meteor strike, creates unique wind patterns nearby, which contributes to the phenomenon.

Hi-RISE experts said: "The 'dashes' are linear dunes formed by bi-directional winds, which are not travelling parallel to the dune.

"The smaller 'dots' occur where there is some interruption to the process forming those linear dunes.

"This process is not well understood at present and is one motivation for HiRISE to image this area."

NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter is tasked with scouring the surface of Mars for evidence of how much water once flowed on the planet.

After blasting off in 2005, the craft allows researchers to examine the planet's surface to find out whether Mars could have once been habitable.