Curiosity has previously discovered small organic molecules on Mars, but these recently found compounds are larger and would have require chemistry to reach a more advanced state to be produced. The finding is also good news for potential life hunters, as it shows that the indicators of life could still be around even after billions of years.

While Curiosity mission scientists have previously identified small, simple organic molecules on the red planet, the discovery of the larger molecular compounds offers the first evidence that organic chemistry on Mars evolved toward a complexity necessary to become an origin for life on the planet, the Goddard update notes.

While the presence of these molecules is not proof of ancient life on Mars, scientists say it shows we could detect chemical signatures of past life, if it ever existed.