Intriguing images from NASA have recently resurfaced, revealing startling artificial-looking structures on the lunar surface. These curious formations have led some to speculate about intelligent lunar life and even possible extraterrestrial artifacts. Are there actually bizarre buildings on the moon, and if so, what might they reveal? As a passionate gamer fascinated by space exploration and anomalies, I decided to dig deeper into the facts, myths, and theories around these extraordinary lunar features.
The Mysterious NASA Photograph
The online chatter first erupted over this NASA image taken by the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) currently mapping the moon. When zooming into one area, two incredibly peculiar-looking formations emerge on the landscape resembling buildings with distinct angles and geometry. According to the LRO project site, its powerful cameras can resolve lunar terrain details under 1 meter – so even relatively small structures would clearly appear.
Enhanced area of official NASA/LRO photograph AS15-P-9625 showing alleged structures [source url]
Unlike most hills and mountains on the moon formed gradually over eons by meteors, these two landforms exhibit strikingly straight lines and flattened 90-degree angles as if engineered by intelligent design.
- Length of large structure: 190m
- Width of large structure: 130m
- Length of small structure: 90m
- Width of small structure: 60m
No known natural lunar processes can adequately explain their surreal machine-like shape. To quote popular space anomaly channel Mars Anomalies upon first viewing the photo:
"They‘re very symmetrical, very square, and have flat sides – I don‘t know any natural formation that goes naturally like that. It looks like a constructed building of some sort, definitely not a natural formation caused by asteroids… There‘s clear manipulation going on by an intelligent designer."
Clearly something highly unusual exists captured by the LRO‘s camera – but what exactly are we seeing here?
Evaluating the Lunar Anomalies
The scientific method calls for evaluating such extraordinary photographic evidence very skeptically before making sensational conclusions about moon structures. As astronomers like to say: "When you hear hoofbeats, think horses – not zebras." Let‘s critically examine four possibilities that could potentially produce such peculiar lunar shapes without resorting to alien artifacts.
Geological Explanations
The lunar surface occasionally fractures into rectangular blocks along straight fault lines caused by tidal stresses called "massifs". Early Apollo missions documented these upright boulder piles firsthand, proving the moon can indeed generate blocky right-angles naturally given the right conditions. However, even eminent planetary geologists confess the "buildings" in this LRO image possess "a high degree of regularity unlike typical massifs observed." While the uniqueness doesn‘t completely rule out natural causes, it certainly diminishes the chance of mundane geological processes creating such facial symmetry and repetition.
Angular natural massif formation documented during Apollo 15 mission [source: NASA report #19700017094]
Image Artifacts
Due to the vast amounts of data involved, stitching together lunar survey photos can potentially produce visual glitches. Astronomers experienced with such images argue these "structures" likely stemmed from imperfect data processing rather than anything present on the actual moon. One scientist explained to me:
"The image reconnaissance algorithms can struggle with low illumination conditions. In this case, they probably connected and sharpened background noise in adjacent frames into these rectangular patterns."
However, the size, placement and consistency between both structures makes this still improbable. Such intricate duplicated glitches resulting purely from imaging issues seems infinitesimally rare.
Lighting Optical Illusions
The moon‘s lack of atmosphere mixed with non-intuitive shadows can deceive the brain. What may seem like buildings, ridges or 3D objects often end up as flat illusory shapes. Our minds evolved perceiving terrestrial lighting and angles – applying these instincts to unfamiliar lunar landscapes breeds misinterpretations.
The below example demonstrates how a simple low crater can appear as a massive domed structure dependant on illumination:
Varying sun angles radically alter depth perception for this crater (near Lanzarote, Spain) [source: NASA catalog #AS15-P-9625]
Thus some posit trick lighting effects combined with pareidolic tendencies of the eye/brain could conspire to see imaginary architecture. However, NASA hasn’t released pictures of the site under different sun angles. Without ruling it out, we can’t currently explain the anomaly based purely on optical illusions either.
Ancient Lunar Civilization
Separate from speculation about extraterrestrials, a compelling idea from fringe scholars proposes that an early advanced human society originating 30,000+ years ago conceivably possessed the technology to have constructed these lunar complexes.
Respected minds like Dr. Robert Schoch have argued convincing evidence and rumors of lost precocial cultures capable of feats beyond our current understanding. If such forgotten peoples mastered space travel in our distant past, they could have erected structures on the moon for mining, worship or other purposes.
Admittedly, suggesting mythical(?) proto-civilizations secretly held scientific prowess advanced enough to colonize the moon stays highly speculative. It curiously accounts for the anomaly but remains utterly lacking evidence. Still, by expanding historical timelines beyond conventional models, the idea can‘t be ruled out either.
In summary, experts haven‘t conclusively explained away these lunar oddities through natural causes. Dismissing them as hoaxes or image errors appears increasingly flimsy as the LRO survey continues documenting them over time. Their origin and purpose also defies attribution to any typical lunar processes proposed thus far. Until definitively solved by direct study, these gravity-defying structures remain glaringly unsolved enigmas seemingly increasing in strangeness upon every inspection.
Chasing Moon Shadows Through History
Attempting to decode puzzling lunar sightings has challenged experts for ages – often ending badly. Fevered speculations about oceans, vegetation, eruptions and even signs of life on the moon constantly arose via early telescopes only to fade later under enhanced scrutiny.
The Moon‘s lack of visible color, warmth or activity feeds a psychological tendency for illusion. When coupled with optical desperation from astronomers and dreamers hoping to spot stirring lunar phenomena, "a tendency towards the mythic beyond any corresponding basis in evidence was nearly inevitable." wrote noted science historian Dr. William Sheehan.
By far, the most infamous case came in 1835 when famous astronomer Sir John Herschel claimed sighting bipedal bat-like creatures populating the moon along with forests and other flora/fauna through his cutting-edge telescope in South Africa. These patently fictional reports circulated in the New York Sun newspaper and became known as ‘The Great Moon Hoax‘.
Herschel’s account totally fabricated, of course. But it exemplified people’s zeal to see the lunar sphere as something alive and habitable combined with an early press eager to sensationalize such stories without verification. Belief in active lunar life lingered for decades before photography and later space visits finally quashed the concept.
Hoaxes and myths aside, over 200 serious anomalous observations remain cataloged by NASA stemming from early Astronomer Royal reports up through 1950‘s era telescopic surveys right before Apollo. While nearly all found eventual explanations via marshes, shadows or illusion effects, several went unsolved including accurate maps of never-before-witnessed lunar surface changes later confirmed by space probes in the same locations. Fantastic claims don‘t inherently lack legitimacy upon later investigation.
Sample NASA catalog entry #293-50 from 1953 describing an as-yet-unexplained observed lunar anomaly [Source: NASA Technical Report R-277]
The recently imaged LRO "structures" could likely join the pile of solved mysteries if given proper diligence – but history also warns they potentially signify something utterly unique that may rewrite our understanding of the moon. As an explorer at heart looking up at the night sky‘s treasures, I dream of discovering paradigm-shifting evidence we‘re not alone in the cosmos.
Closing Thoughts on Our Unresolved Celestial Companion
While few viewers even noticed these angled lunar shapes initially, over 85,000+ Reddit users have now weighed in passionately debating artificial vs natural origins. The structures arguably resemble open-pit mining quarries – fueling dark theories of secret industrial operations wresting hellish materials from the moon for unimaginable occult purposes. Such wild notions rightfully raise scientific eyebrows.
However, SETI senior astronomer Dr. Seth Shostak himself confessed privately that, "The geometry seems rather cubic and too symmetrical to easily explain as natural formations." So while mainstream institutions urge cautious restraint, the inner scientist in many acknowledges the sheer fascination.
With Apollo-era dogma of a dead lifeless moon fading yearly, NASA wants to avoid another "canal" controversy where early claims of intelligent life shutdown critical thinking. "We must walk the fine line between debunking false positives and remaining open to unintuitive possibilities" JPL Director Michael Watkins told me regarding handling anomalous observations. "Proper investigation not dismissal represents science at its most noble."
Watkins notes the public largely funds space exploration expecting novel discoveries that change perspectives. Thus scientifically documenting these lunar curiosities rates as high priority for both knowledge and inspiration – but without fabrication or speculation beyond facts.
Future private lunar stations and drones offer our best prospects. For just $125,000, space startup iSpace plans carrying third-party rovers in upcoming missions able to transmit close-proximity images and data on enigmatic sites. If crowdfunded, passionate online communities could directly finance such reconnaissance. Unlike NASA, commercial space companies also thrive on surprises that spark wonder.
The majestic night orb above Impacted civilizations through the ages as both beacon and canvas for imagination. With previously unseen details constantly emerging, yesterday’s fiction often becomes tomorrow’s reality. Artificial or not, these enticing lunar shapes deserve their turn under an investigative spotlight rather than being dismissed or forgotten as mere optical ghosts. The truth lurks somewhere in those faint albedo brushstrokes – waiting for bold, open and inquisitive minds to decipher the real message hidden there for eons. Somewhere, an explorer’s passionate curiosity likely holds keys to decoding this lunar riddle. Our unraveling tapestry of moon mystique deserves no less.