Bear on Mars? Pareidolia Behind a Hill That Looks Like a Face

A HiRISE photo of a Martian southern highlands hill appears bear-like, but scientists say the look is due to pareidolia—the nose is a V-shaped collapse, the eyes are two craters, and a circular fracture forms the head—higher-resolution images show it’s simply a mesa; such features, including salt-pond deposits that could host biosignatures, remain relevant targets for future Mars missions.