(timesonline) - To look at it you'd think the landscape had been carved by aliens.
But these perfectly sculpted sand dunes, resembling crabs' claws, were sculpted by the martian winds.
The images were photographed by a powerful camera onboard the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. They come from within the Hellspontus region of the planet, where powerful winds blow from west to east.
The MRO probe is equipped with the most powerful camera ever sent into space. It also took detailed pictures of Phobos, the larger of Mars' two moons. Less than 14 miles wide, the asteroid is covered with craters and mysterious grooves.
Chief Nasa investigator Professor Alfred McEwen, of the University of Arizona, said: "Phobos is of great interest because it may be rich in water ice and carbon-rich materials."