Curiosity Rover Detects Largest Organic Molecules on Mars

NASA's Curiosity rover has discovered the largest organic molecules ever found on Mars in a 3.7-billion-year-old rock sample from Yellowknife Bay, a former Martian lake bed. The compounds, long-chain alkanes, were identified as potential remnants of fatty acids, essential components of cell membranes in all Earth organisms. While these molecules can form through non-biological processes, their presence suggests the possibility of past life on Mars. The rover, which landed in 2012, continues to explore Gale Crater, seeking further evidence of life's potential history on the Red Planet. Researchers developed a new procedure to test a larger portion of the mudstone sample, leading to the detection of decane, undecane, and dodecane. Further analysis revealed traces similar to how Earth organisms produce fatty acids, intensifying scientific curiosity.