NASA's Curiosity Rover has taken a photo on Mars that appears to be that of a "thigh bone."

The unexplained image resulted in conspiracy theories spread across the internet about the eternal question of intelligent life on Mars.

The photo was taken by Curiosity Rover's MastCam last August 14. The image shows a collection of rocks scattered among red soil. A particular rock stands out from the other round ones and is remarkably shaped like a femur bone from a thigh.

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Alien fanatics online immediately came to their own conclusions that this particular rock could be a fossilized alien bone but NASA has debunked this claim.

NASA and its science team members said the "bone" is an odd shaped rock that looks like a human femur bone due to erosion caused by the elements such as wind or water.

NASA is well aware how objects on Mars can appear to be something familiar. The statement clears things up by stating that if ever there is life on Mars, it will be in the form of minute, simple life forms like microbes.

In addition, the statement also confirms there is almost no atmosphere on Mars and not enough oxygen elsewhere on the planet that can sustain complex life forms. Large fossils are highly unlikely, NASA said.

Again, this psychological condition is known as pareidolia where the mind plays tricks, associating human semblances to odd objects or terrain, especially in space photos.

The "Face on Mars" is a popular example of pareidolia. This "face" is actually a mesa in Cydonia in a photo taken by Viking 1 in 1976.

Curiosity Mars Rover is preparing its fourth drilling in Mars in the northeastern part of Hidden Valley. The team operating the rover has chosen its target, a rock that is called Bonanza King.

Mount Sharp is the mission's long-term science destination, according to NASA. This mountain will hopefully reveal evidence about the environmental changes on ancient Mars.

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