Organic molecules of unprecedented size discovered on Mars

Longest molecules ever found on Mars may be remnants of building blocks of life

NASA's Curiosity Rover has discovered long carbon chains on Mars. On Earth, molecules like these are overwhelmingly produced by biological processes.

MAINTENANCE. Geochimist Caroline Freissinet describes the discovery and its implications for the search for life on the red planet.

Curiosity finds largest-ever organic molecules on Mars

The Mars Curiosity rover’s onboard mini-lab has helped confirm the existence of the largest organic molecules ever found on the Red Planet. The trio of long-chain compounds preserved in Martian soil are believed to be the remnants of prebiotic components required for life to develop on Earth. Researchers published evidence on March 24 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, which builds on their work that began over a decade ago.…

NASA's Curiosity rover detects largest organic molecules on Mars

NASA's Curiosity rover detects largest organic molecules on Mars

NASA’s robotic vehicle has found organic molecules of unprecedented size on the red planet, although scientists have not been able to determine their origin. They were formed 3.7 billion years ago, when life was emerging on Earth, and have been preserved in clayey terrain. Read

The longest organic molecules identified to date on Mars have been discovered by French, American, Spanish and Mexican scientists, announced the French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS) on Monday. ...