Curiosity rover detects large organic molecules on Mars that may point to the building blocks of life

Sign up for CNN’s Wonder Theory science newsletter. CNN — The NASA Curiosity rover has detected the largest organic molecules found to date on Mars, opening a window into the red planet’s past. “And because now we know that Mars can preserve these complex and fragile molecules, it means that we could detect ancient life on Mars.” The finding also adds fuel to the fire to return samples from Mars so scientists can study them on Earth with more sophisticated tools, and perhaps, once and for all, determine whether life ever existed anywhere beyond our planet. “There is evidence that liquid water existed in Gale Crater for millions of years and probably much longer, which means there was enough time for life-forming chemistry to happen in these crater-lake environments on Mars,” said study coauthor Daniel Glavin, senior scientist for sample return at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, in a statement. Having these results, it’s really at the edge of the capabilities of Curiosity, and it’s even maybe better than what we had expected from this mission.” Before sending missions to Mars, scientists didn’t think organic molecules would be found on the red planet because of the intensity of radiation Mars has long endured, Glavin said.