The molecules are long carbon chains, containing up to 12 consecutive carbon atoms.
The molecules date to about the same time as theearliest-known signs of lifeon our planet.
Curiosity has roved Mars for years, revealing new details of the planetsancient environment.
A view from the Perseverance rover.Image: NASA/JPL-Caltech
Curiosity hasseen organic matterin Martian mudstones before, but the new research describes the longest chains yet identified.
Liquid water once existed in vast reservoirs and lakes on Mars.
A SAM replica at NASA Goddard.
A SAM replica at NASA Goddard. Photo: Caroline Freissinet
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Did Scientists Detect Life on Another Planet?
