Ananova:

Scientists in New York have released a picture from Mars which they say shows a face wearing a crown.

They also believe other images from the Mars Global Surveyor mission show "glass tubes", tracks and even vegetation.

The pictures, among 65,000 taken by the Nasa craft which mapped the red planet, have been computer enhanced.

But Nasa has dismissed claims by Brian O'Leary, an ex-Apollo scientist who trained as an astronaut, and Tom Van Flandern a former US Navy astronomer, that the pictures show Mars was once inhabited.

Mr O'Leary said: "We believe this compelling evidence proves Mars was once inhabited by an intelligent civilisation.

"This is a bombshell finding. This could be one of the most important discoveries in the history of human civilisation."

They claim the face is more than 11 miles wide and located near Syrtis Major.

The men have used the Metaresearch website to publish their photographs of 'sculptures' which include a dolphin, a scorpion and a seahorse.