2025.11.11 – Viral Mars “Creature” Claim Debunked

Key Takeaways

A social-media post claimed a Mars-bound robot captured a “strange creature” on the Red Planet; the visuals are digital fabrications and bear no connection to credible mission imagery.
No space agency has documented any creature on Mars; official data and archives from Mars rovers contain no such evidence.
This case exemplifies the perseverance of online hoaxes involving CGI or mis-edited visuals misrepresented as extraterrestrial life.

Story & Details

The Viral Claim

A Facebook post in Spanish stated: “A robot sent to Mars captured a strange creature, out of the ordinary. The discovery was made after reviewing the videos in which this creature made an appearance; scientists are now investigating the creature and possible extraterrestrial life on the red planet.”
The post included buttons styled as interactive prompts: “How was the creature discovered?” and “Is this a supposition?”

Official Mission Records

The U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and its Mars missions publish raw and processed image data from rovers such as the Perseverance rover and Curiosity rover. These archives contain no credible record of a filmed creature on Mars.
Independent fact-checkers have repeatedly flagged viral claims of “aliens on Mars” or odd figures as either user-edited images, computer-generated imagery (CGI) or mis-captioned media.

Why the Claim Fails

The post offers no mission reference, launch or landing data, or official image archive link—unlike genuine rover captures.
The visuals strongly resemble CGI or digitally altered scenes rather than camera output from Mars rovers, which operate under strict calibration, lighting and lens constraints.
History shows that social media spreads dramatic but unsupported Mars life claims quickly; yet verification always fails when cross-checking mission databases.

Conclusions

The claim of a “strange creature” captured by a Mars robot is unfounded. No verified mission imagery or data supports the existence of such footage. The post represents an example of misinformation relying on sensational visuals and minimal verifiable sourcing.
When encountering similar claims, consider checking rover archives, mission status updates and independent fact checks. The story ends here—not because hope for ancient microbial life is extinguished, but because this specific claim has been decisively shown to be digital fiction.

Sources

– NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory: Raw images from Perseverance rover – https://mars.nasa.gov/mars2020/multimedia/raw-images/
– Reuters Fact Check: “NASA image does not show ‘a fly’ on the Mars rover” – https://www.reuters.com/fact-check/nasa-image-does-not-show-a-fly-mars-rover-2024-12-24/
– FactCheck.org: “Post revives fabricated image of view from Mars” – https://www.factcheck.org/2021/02/post-revives-fabricated-image-of-view-from-mars/
– Full Fact: “NASA has not faked images of the surface of Mars” – https://fullfact.org/online/mars-nasa-fake-rover-ireland/
– Official YouTube video (aid to public understanding of genuine mission imagery): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4czjS9h4Fpg (Landing of Perseverance Rover, NASA/JPL)

Appendix

CGI (computer-generated imagery): Digital visuals created via computer graphics tools, often used in film, animation or for web content, and sometimes misrepresented as real footage.
Mars rover raw images: Unprocessed photos captured by cameras aboard Mars rovers and made publicly available by space agencies; serve as primary data for mission science and verification.
Misinformation claim: A statement or narrative circulated to mislead, often featuring false visuals or mis-captioned content; verification requires tracing to original data or credible official sources.
Mars (planet): The fourth planet from the Sun in our solar system, subject of extensive robotic exploration and study of past habitability.
Perseverance rover: A NASA Mars rover that landed on February 18, 2021, at Jezero Crater; tasked with seeking ancient biosignatures and caching samples for future return.
Fact-checking organisations: Independent entities that analyse public claims, cross-reference mission data and archives, and issue verdicts regarding truthfulness of viral content.