You know those pouty self-portraits that teenagers like to take with their cellphone and a bathroom mirror? Well, the Mars Curiosity rover must be going through its own awkward teen years, because it just sent us an interplanetary beauty shot of its own.

The picture shows Curiosity's head-like mast, which holds many of its most important sensors and tools. That big thing up top which looks like a camera lens is in fact Curiosity's laser gun, while it's those boxes slung below the head that are actually the cameras.

Consider this: Wall-E was released in June 2008, and the development of Curiosity's hardware was completed five months later in November. Coincidence? Perhaps not.

Let's just hope Curiosity doesn't take this teen stuff too far. What comes next — sexting?

More Images From Curiosity:

• 7 more fresh photos of Mars, courtesy Curiosity
• Postcard from Mars: Curiosity sends back first color landscape
• See Mars come to life in 79-image color mosaic from Curiosity
• Image of the Day: Curiosity kicks back higher res view of Mars
• Watch Curiosity land on Mars's red soil in high definition images

The Planetary Society, via Universe Today