IT'S AN IM-PASTA!

Nasa explains TRUE origin of ‘weird spaghetti monster’ photographed on Mars surface

Jamie Harris, Technology and Science Reporter

Published: 16:10, 3 Aug 2022
Updated: 16:10, 3 Aug 2022

a close up of a rock and a worm on a sandy surface

NASA has revealed what it believes a strange spaghetti-like object spotted on Mars really is.

Scientists were left baffled by the stringy looking stuff, which was snapped by the Perseverance rover last month.

Scientists were initially left scratching their heads over the discovery — Scientists were initially left scratching their heads over the discoveryCredit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

The space agency's experts have now explained what it probably is.

And anyone hoping it might be evidence of aliens, prepare to be disappointed.

As it turns out the object is merely netting.

Obviously, Mars isn't the sort of place with random bits of net dotted about, so it would have got there from a previous mission.

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Funnily enough, Nasa's hardware team suspect it's from Perseverance's landing on the Red Planet last February.

"This particular piece of netting appears to have undergone significant unraveling/shredding, suggesting that it was subjected to strong forces," Nasa said.

Experts believe it's Dacron netting to be exact, which is a type of polyester fiber.

This is usually found in thermal blankets, to help prevent equipment from heating up.

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Manmade objects are scattered across the surface of Mars from decades of exploration dating back to the first crash landing on the red planet in 1971.

The Perseverance rover has been scanning the surface of Mars for almost 18 months.

In that time, the bot has traveled over seven miles and taken almost .

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It's not the only time the bot has spotted something out of place on the planet next door.

The rover caught a glimpse of its own wedged in the jaws of a dinosaur-shaped rock - the unexplained part is the rover first landed on Mars over a mile away.

Nasa's Perseverance rover spotted the object — Nasa's Perseverance rover spotted the objectCredit: Getty Images - Getty

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