Mars 'jelly doughnut' clearly alien fungus: Astrobiologist

A self-described astrobiologist and author has asked a federal judge to force NASA to look more closely into the rock that suddenly appeared on Mars rover Opportunity's field of vision earlier this month; he's claimed that the rock is an alien fungus.

Previously NASA had said that the rock was in all probability flipped into the rover's field of view by its wheels while it was maneuvering around the area.

However, Rhawn Joseph referred to the object as a biological organism, which resembles a mushroom-like fungus, a composite organism consisting of colonies of lichen and cyanobacteria, and which on Earth is known as Apothecium, CNET reported.

He went on to claim that the object may not have simply appeared in the later pictures, as it's also in the previous photos taken of the same spot.

Joseph said that a smaller version of the fungus can be seen in the same location in early pictures of the location, and that it then grew to its current appearance.

He said that spores were exposed to moisture due to changing weathering conditions on Mars.