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One of the detected compounds was benzothiophene, a sulfur-bearing organic molecule often associated with meteorites.
Among the seven organic molecules identified, five had never before been observed on Mars.
NASA’s Curiosity rover detected a suite of organic molecules on Mars, including several compounds widely regarded as potential building blocks for life on Earth. The discovery was made in a dried ancient lakebed in the Gale crater region, close to the planet’s equator, where the rover has been exploring since 2012.
Among the seven organic molecules identified, five had never before been observed on Mars. While the analysis cannot determine whether these compounds are linked to past Martian life, or instead formed through meteorite delivery or geological chemistry, the results strengthen the idea that the ingredients for life could persist for billions of years.
“We think we’re looking at organic matter that’s been preserved on Mars for 3.5 billion years,” said Prof Amy Williams, an astrogeologist at the University of Florida and a Curiosity mission scientist, who led the experiment.
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He added, “Is it life? We can’t tell, based on this information.”
The rover, currently traversing Gale crater and the slopes of Mount Sharp, has endured extreme conditions: freezing night-time temperatures below -100°C and constant exposure to intense solar radiation due to Mars’ thin atmosphere. Yet scientists now believe those same harsh conditions may have helped preserve chemical traces deep underground.
“It had all the conditions for life to start there when life was starting on Earth,” said Prof Andrew Coates of University College London’s Mullard Space Science Laboratory, who was not involved in the study, adding, “There’s no known reason why it shouldn’t have started on Mars as well.”
One of the detected compounds was benzothiophene, a sulfur-bearing organic molecule often associated with meteorites. Researchers also identified a nitrogen-containing organic structure that resembles precursors to DNA chemistry, although they caution that this is far from evidence of biology.
Prof Amy Williams said, “There are several steps between what we found and DNA. It is definitely a building block to how DNA is made now. But it is truly just the bricks, not the house. You can generate these molecules geologically.”
She added that meteorite impacts may have delivered similar organic material to both Mars and early Earth, potentially seeding the raw ingredients necessary for life in both worlds.
The findings increase anticipation for future exploration, particularly the European Space Agency’s delayed Rosalind Franklin mission, scheduled for launch in 2028.
Washington D.C., United States of America (USA)
April 21, 2026, 11:27 pm IST
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