Ever since I was a child -- seems like centuries ago -- I have been fascinated by the planet Mars. I would watch sci-fi movies that had Earthling explorers flying to our next neighbor in space and meeting all sorts of alien creatures who were either deceptively friendly, or outright mean and aggressive. I loved all of it!
In school I was taught that Mars was a dead world, no life possible there and the atmosphere was way too thin to breathe. Back when I was in elementary school, I was told that it would be many decades before humans could ever hope to walk on the "angry red planet."
But why was it called "angry"? Was it because Mars was the God of War? Would it make me angry to go there or even see it in the night skies?
Recently NASA sent the Curiosity rover across the surface of Mars. It took pictures and in some of the frames, there is an image of what looks like a large object or building in the horizon. This was quickly explained away as the possible remains of the booster rocket that brought the rover to the planet.
There are also reports by amateur astronomers who focus their telescopes on the surface of Mars that see strange glass-like tubes that appear to wind in and out of crevices on the surface. There is speculation by those in conspiracy theory movements that this is proof of alien habitation of Mars.
Some telescope images also detect what looks like green growth near the northern pole of Mars during the Martian Springtime. This may confirm the ideas that Mars has an active weather system and that the atmosphere may be denser than scientists speculate.
Years ago in my books and articles on my website, I discussed about the ancient oceans that once existed on Mars. In the last two years, NASA scientists also admitted that not only could oceans have existed on Mars in the distant past, but that there may very well be water underneath the surface that could be tapped for colonization.
Spacecrafts from the U.S. have photographed strange formations over the years that look like a face with teeth, pyramids on the Cydonia Plateau, and even what looks like ancient ruins of buildings nearby.
NASA has spent many years debunking these images. Now, NASA claims with certainty that these are either optical illusions, rock anomalies, or merely coincidences. After looking at the images, you must wonder what they really are and decide for yourself if these structures are natural or made artificially.
Back in the 1980s, former Soviet cosmonaut, Marina Popovich came to the U.S. to talk about Russian experiences with Mars and its moons, Deimos and Phobos. The Soviets said their probe, Phobos 2 was lost and the last photo taken as it approached the moons of Mars showed a weird object that might have fired upon their probe.
I will be going to Russia this October 2012 and will be researching this incident as well as many others from the former Soviet Union, which is my family homeland.
There is also a Dutch corporation, Mars One, that claims it is using a reality show to fund a colony on Mars by the year 2023. They are asking for volunteers to join the mission, which will be one way only. I must say, as a Martian aficionado, I am very tempted to apply. But, if there is no Internet or cell phone reception, maybe I'll wait until things are more settled there.
There have been researchers who claim that the Sumerian civilization which suddenly appeared 7,000 years ago may have been created by colonists to Earth from Mars. After all, humans have a 26-hour biorhythm cycle, which exactly matches the length of a day on Mars!
So, are you a Martian? Do you feel like you are not from here? Is Earth and its people alien to you? The Red Planet is still a mystery... but not for too much longer!