NASA Mars Rover Spots 'Floating Spoon' On Surface Of Mars

A new image captured by NASA's Mars Curiosity Rover has shown what appears to be a giant spoon floating in the air above the Red Planet.

Has TV spoon bender Uri Geller been at work on Mars?

Almost certainly not. The image, highlighted by members of the UnmannedSpaceFlight forum, seems to be a classic case of 'pareidolia', experts say. .

Pareidolia is a psychological response which causes people to find familiar objects even in the most alien of landscapes - such as the surface of Mars.

It has led to a string of sightings this year, including a mysterious 'dark lady', and what appeared to be some kind of crab monster in a cave on Mars.

Seth Shostak of the alien-hunting SETI project says, ''Those that send images to me are generally quite excited, as they claim that these frequently resemble something you wouldn't expect to find on the rusty, dusty surface of the red planet,' he said.

'It's usually some sort of animal, but occasionally even weirder objects such as automobile parts. Maybe they think there are cars on Mars.'