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Surprisingly big organic molecules on Mars: A hint of life?
- NASA's Curiosity rover has discovered the largest organic molecules on Mars, believed to be fatty acids, containing chains of up to 12 carbon atoms.
- These molecules, found in mudstone rocks at the bottom of an ancient lake, are tantalizing because fatty acids are common in life on Earth but can also form without life.
- The discovery is exciting, but it does not confirm the presence of life on Mars, as non-biological processes can also create similar molecules.
- The international team of researchers published their findings in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences in March 2025.
- Curiosity's discovery of decane, undecane, and dodecane suggests the presence of long-chain molecules, potentially the remnants of fatty acids found in life.
- The possibility of these molecules being breakdown products from carboxylic acids hints at an exciting find related to ancient life forms on Mars.
- While the discovery is intriguing, scientists cannot definitively determine if the molecules are of biological origin without further analysis or sample return to Earth.
- The presence of longer carbon chains and even-numbered fatty acids in the molecules from Mars raises interesting questions about their potential biological sources.
- Future missions like Mars Sample Return aim to bring samples back to Earth for in-depth analysis to settle the debate about life on Mars.
- NASA's ongoing exploration of Mars continues to provide valuable insights into the planet's ancient history and the possibility of past life forms.
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