A Bogus Martian Mt. Rushmore

There is something in the human breast that yearns for hidden secrets and mysteries of the universe to be revealed. A prevailing philosophy seems to be that, if the human mind can conceive of it, somewhere in the universe it must exist. Close encounters, UF0s, ESP, and a myriad of other paranormal experiences grip the human imagination. The commercial success of supermarket checkout stand tabloids and more respectable science fiction movies and literature proves the intense human desire for such phenomena to exist.

Actually, there are plenty of real-life modern mysteries with which science is trying to cope. But to the inveterate supernatural buff, there is nothing like a good extraterrestrial puzzle, particularly if it can be even marginally related to legitimate science. Unfortunately, this can be embarrassing when it appears that sensationalism is being sought by individuals who should know better.

The hope (and even expectation) that life would eventually be discovered on Mars received its greatest impetus when respected turn-of-the-century astronomer Percival Lowell announced that he could see an elaborate network of canals (actually, he used the Latin word "canalis," which means channels) through his telescope. As we now know, these were optical illusions, as the Viking landers and orbiters of 1976 proved.

However, even though the Viking missions held out little hope that life existed on Mars, some observers persisted in trying to find something in the data that wasn't there. Early on in the examination of the Martian images returned by the Viking orbiter, NASA scientists noticed an interesting mountain shaped like a face turned toward space. Their careful examination revealed it to be nothing more than an unusual weathered rock formation favorably illuminated by the sun.

But two computer specialists working for a NASA contractor were not satisfied. They further enhanced the image, and compared the mile-wide mountain with the relatively minuscule Mt. Rushmore.

All of this would have been forgotten, had it not been for a freelance science writer named Richard Hoagland, who is now suggesting that the Viking images indicate the relics of an ancient civilization. In addition to the "face," which is presumedly signaling to Earth and the rest of the universe that a lost civilization once existed there, Hoagland is also claiming that the remains of a pyramid and the outline of an ancient city can be seen in the imagery not far to the southwest. As a further enticement, he notes relationships between orientations of the city "streets," pyramids, solstices, Martian poles, and other convenient "alignments" which may have existed in the distant past. In other words, he is suggesting a Martian Stonehenge.

It is unfortunate that Hoagland has managed to bring together a group of scientists (none of them professional astronomers) to look at his "evidence" and lend a degree of credibility to his claims. On the other hand, a far greater number of scientists refuse to be associated with his work. The enormously popular Carl Sagan has even gone so far as to say that, if his name should be raised by the group, he be quoted as saying he regards the possibility of an ancient civilization as being the least likely explanation of the Martian features.

Hoagland is now writing a book about this fanciful lost world, and it will undoubtedly sell many copies to misguided readers who will accept it as "science." The real science lay in the enormous talent involved in obtaining the views in the first place, and in the ongoing efforts that are being made to interpret them. Significantly, hardly any scientist completely rules out the possibility of life on Mars, but legitimate investigations are bound by the scientific method which invites speculation, but demands a solid foundation for conclusions. It is a pity that, in the public eye, the conscientious work of so many serious investigators will be lost in the glare of popular sentimentality and commercialism.