---
title: "Ohio University Has Yet to Deny Professor’s ‘Bugs on Mars!’ Claim. So."
description: "Ohio University pulled a press release detailing a professor’s “evidence” that Mars is home to bugs, but won’t say if it stands behind the research."
date: "2019-12-12"
modified: "2019-12-12"
authors:
  - name: "Kristin Houser"
    link: "https://futurism.com/authors/kristin"
url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/ohio-university-prof-bugs-mars-claims"
categories:
  - "Astronomy"
  - "Mars"
  - "Space"
tags:
  - "bugs"
  - "extraterrestrial life"
  - "mars"
  - "the digest"
---

# Ohio University Has Yet to Deny Professor’s ‘Bugs on Mars!’ Claim. So.

![Ohio University pulled a press release detailing a professor’s “evidence” that Mars is home to bugs, but won’t say if it stands behind the research.](<https://futurism.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/ohio-university-leave-bugs-mars-professor.jpg>)
*\<em\>Image: Images via Pixabay/Victor Tangermann\</em\>*

## SpaceBugs!

On November 20, Ohio University dropped a press release detailing professor emeritus William Romoser's photo "evidence" that [Mars is home to insect life.](<https://futurism.com/professor-discovered-insect-like-life-mars>) The claim sparked all sorts of [backlash](<https://www.space.com/mars-bug-claim-not-aliens-search-for-life.html>), and the next day, OU [deleted the press release](<https://futurism.com/university-deletes-press-release-claiming-mars-bugs>) because, as university spokesperson Jim Sabin told Futurism, Romoser "no longer wishes to engage with media regarding this research."

But according to a new *Motherboard* [story](<https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/zmjj9e/ohio-university-wont-say-if-it-still-believes-insects-actively-live-on-mars>), the school still won't say whether or not it actually believes in the existence of Martian bugs.

## Martian? I Hardly Knew Him!

*Motherboard* received a similar statement from OU regarding the removal of the press release — and that's about all it could get out of the university.

"The Ohio University spokesperson did not answer specific questions such as whether the university believes there are insects on Mars, if it stands behind the research, and how it decides what press releases to write up," *Motherboard* wrote.

OU might think this radio silence is the best way to minimize damage to its reputation and support its staff — but if it wants people to stop asking questions, it might want to admit that *maaaaaaybe* it shouldn't have promoted Romoser's bizarre claims in the first place?

*Disclaimer: The author of this article attended Ohio University between 2001 and 2005.*

**READ MORE:** [Ohio University Won't Say If It Still Believes Insects Actively Live on Mars](<https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/zmjj9e/ohio-university-wont-say-if-it-still-believes-insects-actively-live-on-mars>) \[*Motherboard*\]

**More on Mars bugs:** *[University Deletes Press Release Claiming Evidence of Bugs on Mars](<https://futurism.com/university-deletes-press-release-claiming-mars-bugs>)*

### Author social links  
[LinkedIn](<https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristinjhouser>)