![Sandy landscape with rock at left and rectangular-looking doorway at right in steep rocky bank.](https://earthsky.org/upl/2022/05/Mars-doorway-Curiosity-May-7-2022-e1652540491836.jpg)
Curiosity, a rover on Mars, took this image of the Martian landscape on May 7, 2022. Many are looking at this image and claiming to see a “doorway.” The doorway-like feature is a linear fracture in the rock. The feature is about 12 inches by 18 inches (30 cm by 45 cm); even a hobbit would have trouble squeezing through it. Remember the recent mystery hut on the moon spotted by a Chinese rover? It turned out to be just a boulder.
Human brains often picture more familiar items when faced with something new or unknown. This phenomenon is called pareidolia. This happens when we see a man on the moon, shapes of animals in clouds, or a flower on Mars.
And many also interpret the rock-cut feature on Mars as something familiar: a doorway.
Mars doorway on social media
Picture from Mars by NASA’S Curiosity, now can you find the doorway? I did !! #NASA #SpaceX pic.twitter.com/4f6bJxpJLm
— MVS (@Martintomarz) May 11, 2022
![Rough orangish landscape of rocks and sand.](https://earthsky.org/upl/2022/05/Mars-curiosity-doorway-panorama-e1652542452224.jpeg)
Knock knock. Who's there? Nobody. This NASA Curiosity rover image from May 7, 2022 does not show a doorway on Mars.
https://t.co/Z51LsAzUlc— CNET (@CNET) May 13, 2022
No @MarsCuriosity *hasn't* found a "secret door" on Mars leading to a martian chamber, tomb or shopping mall. It's just a fracture in the ancient rock, barely big enough for a cat to squeeze through. You can even see the back if you zoom in. NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS/fredk/S Atkinson pic.twitter.com/JEVWxgn93f
— Stuart Atkinson (@mars_stu) May 14, 2022
Oh OK THEN. You've all wanted one. Banana for scale. Happy now? pic.twitter.com/FK1B69omaC
— Doug Ellison (@doug_ellison) May 20, 2022
What’s really in there? ? #mars #NASA #doorway pic.twitter.com/aIjK3qQl3Q
— MarMar (@Sylph_Nymph) May 14, 2022
Bottom line: Mars Curiosity rover took an image of what some people think looks like a “doorway.” But it’s just a natural feature on Mars’ surface.