Curiosity Rover Finds 21 Organic Molecules on Mars, 7 Never Seen Before
So, check this out: NASA's Curiosity rover has found 21 organic molecules in a rock sample that’s about 3.5 billion years old, taken from Gale Crater on Mars. Seven of these molecules have never been spotted on Mars before. The research, published in Nature Communications on Tuesday, revealed nitrogen heterocycles, which are key building blocks for DNA and RNA, and they've never been identified on Mars or in Martian meteorites. This sample, called "Mary Anning 3," was collected in 2020. Interestingly, a similar experiment on Earth using the Murchison meteorite showed related compounds, hinting that these organic materials might come from ancient life forms. Amy Williams from the University of Florida emphasized that this supports the idea Mars could have been habitable. Plus, the European Space Agency's Rosalind Franklin rover is set to launch in 2028 to dig even deeper.
Key facts
- Curiosity rover discovered 21 organic molecules in a Mars rock sample.
- Seven of the molecules had never been detected on Mars before.
- The sample was taken from Mount Sharp in Gale Crater, dated to 3.5 billion years ago.
- Nitrogen heterocycles, precursors to DNA and RNA, were found for the first time on Mars.
- Benzothiophene, a carbon-sulfur compound, was also identified.
- Findings were published in Nature Communications on Tuesday.
- The Murchison meteorite experiment on Earth produced similar compounds.
- The Rosalind Franklin rover (ESA) is set to launch in 2028 with a 6.6-foot drill.
Entities
Institutions
- NASA
- University of Florida
- European Space Agency
- Nature Communications
- Reuters
- Guardian
- Space.com
- Smithsonian magazine
Locations
- Mars
- Gale Crater
- Mount Sharp
- Australia
- Jezero Crater