FACT CHECK: No, This Video Does Not Show A Fly On A Mars Rover

Anna Mock | Fact Check Reporter

A post shared on Facebook allegedly shows a video of a fly on top of a Mars rover.

Verdict: False

The video is digitally altered.

Fact Check: 

A NASA spacecraft has just flown closer to the sun than any other spacecraft in history in effort to study the star, according to BBC. Data available on the NASA website showed that the spacecraft survived temperatures of up to 1,800F with its 4.5in thick shield, the outlet reported.

A Facebook video claims to show a fly spotted on a rover on Mars, proving that it is still on Earth. The video appears to show a rover with the text “why is nobody talking about this?!?”

It pans to a spot on the rover and zooms in to show a blurry image of what looks like a fly. “fly spotted on Mars? or is the rover still on earth?” the video’s text then reads.

“Things that make you scratch your head a fly on the Mars rover,” the caption reads. “They really need to get some better video editors for when they film the ‘mars missions’ on devon island, ridiculous.”

The video was edited. The original image seen in the video is a panorama posted by NASA in February 2021. The original image does not show the fly. (RELATED: No, NASA Photos Of Mars Do Not Actually Show Rocky Terrain In Canada)

The post claims that the footage was taken on Devon Island, Canada, which NASA uses for research due to its environmental conditions being similar to those on Mars, according to its website. Searching NASA’s site shows several images that prove that the Perseverance rover truly is on Mars, however.

Check Your Fact reached out to a NASA spokesperson for comment. 

Anna Mock

Fact Check Reporter

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