NASA says no organics found on Mars

 
“Everybody, chill,” Tweeted the Curiosity rover. “After careful analysis, there are no Martian organics in recent samples.”            

Rumor and speculation abounded following an interview with Mars Science Laboratory scientist John Grotzinger indicating that something “earth-shaking” could be declared soon. “This data is going to be one for the history books. It’s looking really good,” Grotzinger was quoted by NPR.             

Over a week later, NASA finally issued a statement whereby it stressed that “speculation that there are major new findings from the mission at this early stage are incorrect,” and said that a news conference from the Fall Meeting of the American Geophysical Union (AGU) on Monday, December 3 will be an update about first use of the rover’s full array of analytical instruments to investigate a drift of sandy soil.                    

“One class of substances Curiosity is checking for is organic compounds — carbon-containing chemicals that can be ingredients for life. At this point in the mission, the instruments on the rover have not detected any definitive evidence of Martian organics,” the press release said.