The Man Who Dreamed up a New Moon for Mars
Ferox doesn't exist, but that didn't stop photographer Nicolas Polli from documenting the journey to visit it.
- 01In June 1944, two geologists in the Swiss Alps unearthed a black, 125-pound meteorite that turned out to be from Ferox, Mars’ third moon. At least, that’s what photographer Nicolas Polli would have you believe.
- 02*The Forgotten Files: A Journey to the Hidden Moon of Mars 1976–2010* is an archive Polli created containing hundreds of convincing, black-and-white photographs that depict scientific research, space missions, and even the alien surface of Ferox itself. And it’s all completely fabricated.
- 03Polli developed the idea a couple years ago, as images increasingly began fueling the spread of hoaxes and fake news across the web. Desiring to better understand how people critically evaluate imagery online, he picked a topic most people know little about—the celestial bodies orbiting Mars—and started inventing his own facts. (“It’s very easy to fake something about space,” he says.)
- 04Polli steeped this tale in scientific-sounding jargon and wrapped it all up in a convincing visual identity: more than 300 archival-looking images he shot over six months in 2016. "Since it looks like what I’m saying, people trust it, because they have clichés about how certain things should look in a certain era and period in history,” he says.
- 05He recruited friends and family to serve as actors, dressing them in white suits and directing fake experiments in and around his studio in Lausanne, Switzerland.
- 06He even collaged together Google Earth images of the Swiss Alps and real photos of Mars to simulate the kind of images a satellite or rover might capture of its rugged, extraterrestrial landscape.
- 07And though Polli throws in clues the images aren't real—an anachronistic pair of shoes here, a surprising lack of safety gear there—he still gets contacted by folks hoping to get in touch with IEMS. "Today we’re bombarded by images and information, and we trust almost everything because we don’t have time to get too deep into the information," he says.
- 08IEMS never existed, but if it had, its story would have ended like this: On August 6, 2008, an IEMS probe accidentally landed in a deep crater on Ferox, more than 20 miles off course. It couldn’t get out—a $2.5 billion mistake that effectively halted the search for life on Mars' third moon. Polli's fake archive brilliantly illustrates this tragic tale, stirring the imagination as much as any sci-fi TV show or film ... BS or not.
Laura Mallonee is a writer for WIRED covering photography. ... Read More
TopicsAMP Stories
Meet the Guy Who Left the SETI Institute to Talk to Aliens
Some scientists don’t think it’s worth sending messages out to alien life. Douglas Vakoch isn’t one of them.
Sarah Scoles
Green Bank Observatory Embraces Its Alien-Hunting Future
The billionaire-backed Breakthrough Listen SETI project is keeping a beleaguered telescope running—at the expense of other science.
Sarah Scoles
This Special Message to Space Is a Music Lesson for Aliens
The transmission, Sónar Calling GJ273b, explains Earth's concept of music, from basic addition up.
Emma Grey Ellis
It's Not a Spaceship—But 'Oumuamua Could Have Passengers
Observations suggest the interstellar asteroid is encased in a dry, carbon-rich crust that could have protected a water-ice core from being vaporized as it passed our sun.
Robbie Gonzalez
Top Newegg Promo Codes and Coupons for September 2026
Enjoy up to 10% off your entire order with today’s Newegg promo code and discount codes. Save with the latest deals for gaming PCs, laptops, and computer parts.
Molly Higgins
Top Home Chef Promo Codes for September 2026
Enjoy up to 50% off deliveries, free meals, and more with the latest Home Chef coupons.
Louryn Strampe
Whoop Promo Codes: 20% Off This September 2026
Whether you're looking for a Whoop free trial, student discount, or military savings, our guide to Whoop promo codes will help you maximize your membership benefits. Stay on top of your fitness goals for less.
Boutayna Chokrane
Top Canon Promo Codes: 30% Off for September 2026
Save an extra 10% or 30% with Canon coupon codes, plus up to $1,600 on cameras, printers, and more this September 2026.
Scott Gilbertson
Top Maytag Promo Codes: 15% Off
Upgrade your home for less with these verified Maytag discount codes, military savings, and limited-time closeout offers on washers, dryers, and more.
Matthew Korfhage
Columbia Promo Codes: 15% Off for September 2026
Explore current Columbia deals on jackets, outdoor gear, and apparel. Find active Columbia promo codes, student discounts, and free shipping offers to save on your next adventure.
Boutayna Chokrane
Top KitchenAid Promo Codes for September 2026
Save on every purchase with top KitchenAid coupons from WIRED, including up to 20% off countertop appliances.
Molly Higgins
Top Wayfair Coupons for September 2026
Get 10% off with Wayfair promo code, up to 80% off furniture, and more top coupons.
Molly Higgins