'3.7-billion-year-old ': NASA’s Curiosity rover discovers Mars' longest carbon chains in an ancient rock

Carbon Chains Discovered

NASA’s Curiosity rover has detected hydrocarbon chains — the longest ever found on Mars — in a 3.7-billion-year-old rock sample from a dried lakebed named Yellowknife Bay.

12 Carbon Atoms


The molecules identified include decane, undecane, and dodecane, each containing 10, 11, and 12 carbon atoms respectively. These were found using Curiosity’s Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM) instrument.

Potential Link to Fatty Acids

Researchers believe these hydrocarbons may have formed from fatty acids — molecules often linked to biological activity on Earth. Although they can form without life, their presence raises questions about ancient organic processes on Mars.

Accidental Detection During Amino Acid Search

The carbon chains were discovered unintentionally while researchers were testing a new method to find amino acids. Heating the sample to 1,100°C released oxygen and revealed the previously undetected hydrocarbons.

‘Cumberland’ Rock

The rock, drilled by Curiosity in 2013, had been analysed several times before. Earlier findings confirmed it was rich in clay minerals, sulfur, and nitrates, but the long-chain hydrocarbons had not been seen until now.

Breakdown from Fatty Acids


To verify the origin, scientists recreated conditions with Mars-like clay and undecanoic acid. The acid broke down into decane, supporting the idea that the detected molecules on Mars could have formed similarly.

Implications for Tracing Ancient Life


These findings suggest that chemical traces of ancient life could still be preserved in Martian soil. Researchers now advocate for returning Mars samples to Earth for more detailed laboratory testing.