NASA’s **Curiosity rover** has accomplished a significant find on Mars’ radiation-exposed surface.
The rover’s **Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM)** tool has identified the longest organic molecules ever detected on the Red Planet. These molecules might be remnants of **fatty acids**, which on Earth are key components of cell membranes and crucial building blocks of life. Although this discovery does not verify the existence of past **life on Mars**, as fatty acids can also arise through abiotic processes, it illustrates that such organic material can endure in Mars’ harsh environment.
This finding underscores the achievements of **NASA’s nuclear-powered rovers** in spotting possible indicators of life. Now, researchers need to examine these samples more thoroughly back on Earth.
> “We are prepared to take the next significant step and bring Mars samples to our labs to resolve the debate about life on Mars,” stated **Daniel Glavin**, senior scientist for sample return at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center.
### The Challenge of Transporting Mars Samples to Earth
Despite this advancement, the issue of whether Mars ever supported life remains unresolved. NASA’s **Mars Sample Return mission**, which seeks to bring back samples gathered by the **Perseverance rover**, is currently undergoing changes as the agency looks into more economical and efficient methods for transporting the materials. Final decisions regarding the mission will not be made until **2026**, and the samples are expected to reach **Earth by the mid-2030s**.
The newly discovered organic molecules further enhance the scientific rationale for this ambitious endeavor. The analysis conducted by the Curiosity rover identified **decane, undecane, and dodecane**, which are lengthy carbon atom chains—similar to many organic compounds found on Earth. The findings were disclosed in the **Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences**.
### A Promising Site for Ancient Life
The samples were obtained from **Yellowknife Bay**, an ancient, desiccated lakebed within **Gale Crater**. On Earth, such settings are nutrient-rich and frequently support life. Could Mars have once been inhabited by comparable life forms?
> “There is evidence indicating that liquid water existed in Gale Crater for millions of years and likely much longer, which suggests there was sufficient time for life-forming chemistry to occur in these crater-lake environments on Mars,” remarked Glavin, a coauthor of the study.
Curiously, the fatty acids observed by Curiosity’s **SAM instrument** possess **carbon chains ranging from 11 to 13 atoms in length**. NASA emphasized that non-biological mechanisms usually yield shorter fatty acids, with fewer than 12 carbon atoms—adding to the mystery.
### The Puzzle of Mars’ History
While this discovery is thrilling, it does not provide conclusive evidence of former life. Currently, Mars is **1,000 times drier** than the most arid regions on Earth. Nonetheless, billions of years ago, the planet featured a **warmer climate**, extensive **lakes**, **shorelines**, and even **oceans**, which could have facilitated life.
If life did occur, it may have flourished **beneath the Martian surface**, protected from radiation and extreme conditions—well beyond the reach of NASA’s existing rovers. Solving this enigma may necessitate future missions and more sophisticated robotic explorers.