EXCLUSIVE: Mysterious Mars Formations Fuel Claims of Ancient City in Cosmos
Mysterious Mars formations fuel ancient city claims, prompting debates about their possible origins.
Sept. 14 2026, Published 6:00 a.m. ET
Mysterious formations spotted on Mars are ramping up claims of an ancient city on the Red Planet, RadarOnline.com can reveal
The images were captured by NASA's Mars orbiter and show unusual hills and mesas – which could be the boundary where a metropolis once stood beside an ancient body of water.
Mars 'Shoreline' Fuels Claims of Ancient Civilization
NASA's Mars orbiter captured unusual hills and mesas in the Cydonia region.
The formations appear in the Cydonia region and several – which have been compared to a human face, a pyramid and the remains of buildings – appear to be clustered along that boundary.
"The terrain of Cydonia reveals a shoreline – and a pattern we've repeated on Earth for thousands of years," said UFO researcher Jason Martell.
That pattern can be seen in cities such as Venice, Amsterdam and even New York City, where cities developed alongside bodies of water, said Martell.
On one side of the imaginary boundary line, the ground appears elevated, rugged and filled with prominent formations.
On the other side of the proposed boundary, a flatter, smoother expanse could have been a basin filled with water.
Mars Formations Follow 'Shoreline' Pattern Seen on Earth
UFO researcher Jason Martell said a proposed boundary may mark an ancient shoreline.
According to Martell, that boundary marks where the ancient shoreline may have run.
What's more, the unusual formations appear to follow this boundary in a recognizable pattern that's unlikely to be accidental.
If the formations were constructed by ancient extraterrestrials, their location beside a possible body of water mirrors the way civilizations on Earth developed.
By settling on waterfront property, for example, a civilization gains access to food, transportation, trade and other resources that allow them to grow and flourish.
'Face on Mars' May Have Towered Over Ancient Waterfront
The 'Ancient Aliens' guest said Cydonia's face formation would have been visible from the basin.
"Throughout human history, our greatest civilizations have almost universally chosen to build their most important cities at the water's edge," said Martell, a regular guest on the History Channel show Ancient Aliens.
Martell's theory also claims major monuments are frequently located where they can be seen from surrounding settlements or bodies of water.
Martell Claims Cydonia Mirrors Earth's Waterfront Civilizations
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Alexandria's Pharos, Giza's pyramids and Easter Island's statues were cited as visible monuments.
In that case, the face formation "occupies a position that would have made it visible from the flat basin, as well as from the elevated city structures to the west," Martell said.
"This is the same logic that drove the placement of the Pharos at Alexandria, the pyramids at Giza and the statues of Easter Island: Monuments are positioned to be seen."
Looking at the basin's boundary line and nearby formations, Martell added: "It seems quite possible that Cydonia was built at the edge of water. Just like we do on Earth with waterfront property."
