Newly Discovered Mars Molecules Resemble Structures Critical for Life on Earth

Explore the latest find from NASA’s Curiosity rover and what it reveals about organic matter beyond our planet.

By Jenny Lehmann
Mar 26, 2025 5:00 PMMar 26, 2025 5:06 PM
Curiosity Mars rover
(Image Credit: elRoce/Shutterstock)

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Humanity’s search for life on Mars has taken a significant step forward with the discovery of organic molecules that resemble key building blocks of life on Earth.

Since landing in 2012, NASA’s Curiosity rover has made multiple discoveries suggesting that Mars may have once had habitable conditions. Now, scientists have identified the longest organic molecules ever found on the Red Planet — offering new insights into its potential to support life.

A detailed report on these findings was recently published in PNAS by scientists from the French National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS), in collaboration with researchers from the U.S., Mexico, and Spain.

Goals of the Curiosity Rover

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