On 25 October 2020, National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) Curiosity rover collected three rock samples on Mars. Now, nearly six years later after vigorous analysis, researchers have found a diverse collection of organic molecules.
Curiosity, a car-sized rover, has continued operating for over a decade. Its main mission has been to scour for ancient microbial life that may have existed on Mars billions of years ago around Mount Sharp and the Gale Crater.
In a study released on 21 April 2026, researchers focused on three samples gathered by Curiosity within the Glen Torridon region, from a site nicknamed ‘Mary Anning’ in honour of the 19th century English palaeontologist. Many scientists consider this site is where ancient conditions may have been suitable for sustaining life, if it ever existed.
Max Bromfield, from King’s College London (KCL) Space Society, said that the group “welcomes any new discovery in pursuit of space exploration”, adding that, for the society, it signals “that the next space age is really upon us and, with Artemis missions preparing humanity’s voyage to the red planet, it is another discovery in our journey to Mars”.
Within these samples, the researchers identified 21 organic molecules from approximately 3.5-billion-year-old clay-rich sandstone. Curiosity’s SAM instrument used a chemical known as tetramethylammonium hydroxide (TMAH) to detect these organic molecules.
Out of the 21-carbon containing molecules found in the sample, seven were identified on Mars for the first time. One of these organic molecules is a nitrogen heterocycle, which is a ring-shaped molecule made of carbon atoms that includes nitrogen.
Structures like this are thought to be ancestors of Ribonucleic Acid (RNA) and Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA) – two nucleic acids that are foundational to life on Earth.
With that said, the team of researchers cannot establish whether the organic compounds are linked to ancient life on Mars, or geological approaches.
Either way, these findings have stirred excitement within the KCL Space Society, with Max Bromfield and Vice President Lissan Koirala saying that the discovery “renews NASA’s belief that Mars had the right chemistry to support life”.
They added that it could also shape future human missions to Mars, as it “highlights the need to strengthen protection protocols for samples and sites”.
The KCL Space Society added that “discoveries like this are what draw people into space in the first place”, expressing hope that they will inspire more people to pursue careers in the field “which is ultimately how the next generation of space missions gets built, even those to Mars!”
Moving forward with these results, the European Space Agency (ESA) are scheduled to launch the Rosalind Franklin rover in 2028 to search for signs of life, drilling up to two meters below the Martian surface to analyse soil protected from Martian radiation.
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