Did an ancient nuclear war kill life on Mars? Conspiracy theorists claim to see a 'mushroom cloud' on the red planet

(Daily Mail): A striking image that allegedly shows a mushroom cloud rising on Mars has been pounced on by conspiracy theorists. Alien forums say the image is 'evidence' that a civilisation may have been wiped off the Martian surface as a result of nuclear war. The satellite image shows a zoomed in section of Valles Marineris, a 2,500-mile (4,000km) long canyon on Mars, which was captured by the Indian Space Research Organisation.

The image shows a huge mushroom cloud and we may wonder whether it is an enormous rare dust wind cloud, or caused due to a nuclear or methane explosion.' The image was taken around the same time as the Siding Spring comet passed Mars last year.

The theory that an ancient civilisation on Mars was wiped out by a nuclear attack from another alien race is popular among conspiracy theorists. Last year, plasma physicist Dr John Brandenburg said he believed ancient Martians known as Cydonians and Utopians were massacred in the attack - and evidence of the genocide can still be seen today...read more>>>...