The Curiosity rover discovered on Mars the largest organic molecules to date: long-chain alkanes. These compounds are important for life because they are components of cell membranes, although they may also have an inorganic origin. The discovery draws scientists’ attention as it strengthens the hypothesis about the possible existence of life on the Red Planet in the distant past.
The next step will be analyzing another rock sample from the same area, with the hope of finding even more complex molecules. The data also underscore that organic matter may have been preserved in Martian rocks for millions of years, which is important for future missions and the possibility of returning samples to Earth.
