NASA’s Curiosity rover has discovered a record number of complex organic molecules on Mars, raising hopes for past life on the planet. The rover found a total of 21 different molecules, suggesting that Mars retained complex carbon material within rocks for billions of years.
The sampled rock formed approximately 3.5 billion years ago in Gale Crater, an area that once held water. The Curiosity rover utilized a solvent called tetramethylammonium hydroxide (TMAH) in methanol to analyze these organic molecules.
This finding is part of NASA’s ongoing mission to investigate the potential for past life on Mars. The agency has been searching for organic compounds since launching the Curiosity mission.
Key findings:
- The Curiosity rover discovered seven never-before-seen molecules on Mars, including a nitrogen heterocycle.
- The electric propulsion technology is advancing, with NASA achieving power levels exceeding 120 kilowatts in tests of a next-generation electric thruster.
- Nasa plans to launch a rotorcraft mission to Titan no earlier than July 2028.
Amy Williams, a scientist involved in the research, stated, “Our discovery not only expands the catalog of known molecules but tells us that some of the building blocks for life as we know it on Earth were also present on Mars in the ancient past.” Meanwhile, Jared Isaacman commented on the electric thruster tests, saying, “The successful performance of our thruster in this test demonstrates real progress toward sending an American astronaut to set foot on the Red Planet.”
