NASA scientists say meteorites can’t explain mysterious organic compounds on Mars

NASA scientists analyzing organic compounds discovered by the Curiosity rover in ancient Martian mudstone have concluded that meteorite impacts and other non-biological processes cannot fully explain the abundance of these carbon-based molecules. The compounds, including hydrocarbons related to fatty acids found in Earth's cell membranes, were preserved in rocks from an area that hosted lakes billions of years ago. After accounting for 80 million years of radiation damage, researchers determined the original quantity far exceeded what typical non-living chemical processes produce, suggesting biological activity could have contributed to their formation.