NASA’s Curiosity Rover has recently made a groundbreaking discovery, unearthing the longest carbon chains ever found on Mars. NASA’s rover Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM) instrument found hydrocarbon molecules such as decane, undecane and dodecane. Each of these molecules has 10 to 12 carbon atoms. On March 24, 2025, researchers announced their findings in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. These discoveries raise new questions about whether life ever existed on the red planet.
The molecules were extracted from a 3.7 billion-year-old rock sample collected from Yellowknife Bay, a dried-up lakebed that suggests the ancient presence of liquid water. This finding is not unimportant. While these carbon chains are most commonly associated with life and biological processes on Earth, they can form in abiotic ways. The analysis indicates that Curiosity’s capabilities extend to detecting complex molecules, providing further insights into Mars’ geological history.
The Details of the Discovery
Curiosity coring into a rock sample called “Cumberland,” which was taken back in 2013. The chemistry of this sample indicated a significant presence of clay minerals, sulfur, and nitrates. These elements are key for piecing together what the environmental conditions were like in Mars’ past. The researchers employed a novel technique to analyze the sample by pre-heating it to 1,100°C (2,012°F), releasing oxygen before conducting their analysis.
Daniel Glavin, one of the study’s researchers, noted the significance of their results. He stated, “There is evidence that liquid water existed in Gale Crater for millions of years and probably much longer, which means there was enough time for life-forming chemistry to happen in these crater-lake environments on Mars.”
Their detection is enough to get scientists’ hearts fluttering at the prospect of life on Mars. It stresses the importance of future missions returning Martian samples to Earth for detailed analysis.
Insights from the Research Team
The buzz about this find is hard to miss among the scientists who worked on it. Caroline Freissinet shared her reaction upon seeing the results for the first time: “The excitement was super high when I saw the peaks on the spectrum for the first time. It was both surprising and not surprising. Surprising because those results were found on the Cumberland sample that we had already analyzed many times in the past. Not surprising because we have defined a new strategy to analyze this sample.”
Now that these hydrocarbon strings have been detected, they will help provide an essential insight into the history of Mars and its capacity to once hold life. The research team is optimistic that additional analysis will identify even more actionable insights. Their goal is to identify the environmental context at the time that these molecules formed.
Future Prospects for Mars Exploration
As researchers work to understand the implications of these discoveries, they are excited to move forward with the next stage of exploration on Mars. Daniel Glavin expressed optimism about future missions: “We are ready to take the next big step and bring Mars samples home to our labs to settle the debate about life on Mars.” The prospect of returning samples to Earth could prove essential in answering lingering questions about whether life ever existed on Mars.
