Greetings from Mars! Curiosity snaps rover self-portrait

GlobalPost

Smile and say "Cheese," Curiosity!

In an oddly human gesture, the Mars rover extended its robotic arm a few days ago and snapped a self-portrait on Mars that was beamed back to Earth.

More from GlobalPost: Mars rover Curiosity lands safely on Red Planet (VIDEO)

The rover appears to peer into the lens and bears a striking resemblance to Pixar's "Wall-E" robot.

The image was taken during tests by NASA engineers that put the robotic arm – and the instruments attached to it – through a variety of maneuvers to make sure everything's working, The Telegraph reported.

More from GlobalPost: NASA Mars drill to examine the planet's core in 2016

Prior to its arm workout, Curiosity had been travelling toward Glenelg, an area on Mars where three different kinds of rocks coexist. The rover will take samples and evaluate the terrain, according to PC Magazine.

Curiosity has approximately 23 months left of its expected two-year Mars mission.

Will you support The World? 

The story you just read is accessible and free to all because thousands of listeners and readers contribute to our nonprofit newsroom. We go deep to bring you the human-centered international reporting that you know you can trust. To do this work and to do it well, we rely on the support of our listeners. If you appreciated our coverage this year, if there was a story that made you pause or a song that moved you, would you consider making a gift to sustain our work through 2024 and beyond?