NASA’s Curiosity rover, which has been scouring Gale Crater and the slopes of Mount Sharp (Aeolis Mons) since 2012, has detected an important carbon signature in samples collected using its assortment of research instruments. The samples feature a rich carbon signature that is associated with biological processes on Earth.
Scientists were able to detect the signature from samples analyzed by the TLS (Tunable Laser Spectrometer) and SAM (Sample Analysis at Mars) instruments.