Life on Mars? Rover finds organic molecules in rock

Nasa’s Curiosity rover has found potential building blocks of life in an ancient lakebed on Mars, scientists have revealed.

The organic molecules preserved in 3.5 billion-year-old bedrock in Gale Crater suggest conditions back then may have been conducive to life. That leaves open the possibility that microorganisms once populated the Red Planet and might still exist there.

“The chances of being able to find signs of ancient life with future missions, if life ever was present, just went up,” said Curiosity’s project scientist Ashwin Vasavada.

Curiosity also has confirmed sharp seasonal increases of methane in the Martian atmosphere. Researchers said they cannot rule out a biological source.