NASA's Curiosity rover has discovered the largest organic compounds ever found on Mars, potentially revealing new insights into the planet's prebiotic chemistry.
By Aniket Chakraborty
Mar 27, 2025
Scientists identified three key alkanes - decane, undecane, and dodecane - in a rock sample from the Martian surface, suggesting complex organic molecular structures.
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The discovered hydrocarbons are believed to be remnants of fatty acids, which are critical chemical building blocks of life on Earth.
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The organic molecules were found in an ancient lakebed within Gale Crater, where evidence suggests liquid water existed for millions of years.
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Lead researcher Caroline Freissinet highlighted that these fragile linear molecules have survived on Mars's surface for approximately 3.7 billion years.
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The discovery raises the possibility of detecting "biosignatures" - large organic molecules that could indicate potential past life on Mars.
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Curiosity rover collected the sample from "Yellowknife Bay" in May 2013, an area scientifically selected for its potential to harbor evidence of ancient microbial life.
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Scientist Daniel Glavin emphasized that the long-term presence of liquid water in Gale Crater created environments conducive to life-forming chemistry.
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Researchers conducted multiple laboratory experiments to understand how Mars-like mineral conditions might produce these carbon chains independently of living organisms.
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While the discovery is groundbreaking, scientists remain cautiously open to alternative explanations for the presence of these complex organic molecules on Mars.