NASA Finds New Organic Compounds in Martian Rocks with Curiosity

The NASA rover Curiosity discovered organic compounds in ancient rocks on Mars, confirming that organic material can survive billions of years on the red planet. The study, conducted in Gale Crater, employed a novel chemical method that allowed scientists to release and identify organic fragments trapped within the rocks. This breakthrough was made possible through collaboration between institutions in the United States, Mexico, and France, and was published in Nature Communications.

Prior to this, scientists aimed to determine if Mars’s oldest rocks preserved complex organic molecules. Previous studies only found simple compounds, raising questions about minerals' ability to protect organics over such vast timescales. The team focused on an area rich in clay within Gale Crater, where conditions favor the preservation of complex chemicals.

They used a wet chemistry technique with tetramethylammonium hydroxide (TMAH), which breaks chemical bonds and releases organic fragments. The sample was taken from the rock Mary Anning 3, drilled by Curiosity at Knockfarrill Hill. The Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM) instrument heated the sample and added TMAH, enabling the detection of various molecules.

The analysis revealed cyclic and aromatic compounds like benzene, toluene, naphthalene, methyl naphthalene, and trimethylbenzene. The detection of benzothiophene was a significant breakthrough, marking the first confirmation of this molecule on Mars. Additionally, methylbenzoate was identified, demonstrating the technique's effectiveness in detecting complex organics.

This discovery broadens the understanding of Mars’s past habitability and opens new avenues for future missions searching for organic material on the planet.