Mars Rover 'Curiosity' Team Reportedly Will Reveal Major Discovery In December

[LongTomH]

110. The Curiosity rover's instruments are not designed for life detection..........

.....only to identify organic (carbon-based) compounds. Finding organic molecules would, however, validate the results from the Viking Labeled Release experiment. That was designed to detect living organisms and did come back with positive results. When the Viking Gas Chromatograph failed to find organic compounds in the soil, most researchers assumed the Labeled Release results were due to 'exotic soil chemistry.'

Gil Levin, who designed the Labeled Release experiment, has always believed that the Vikings found life on Mars. If the Curiosity science package finds evidence of organic molecules, it will prove Dr. Levin right after 36 years.