Finding life on Mars might be closer than we thought. NASA’s Curiosity rover has yielded promising data from the Red Planet, the space agency says.

Performing a type of experiment never before tried beyond Earth, NASA's Curiosity rover has identified more organic compounds on Mars as scientists strive to learn whether the Red Planet ever harbored ​life.

The search for signs of life on Mars continues to yield promising data. A first-of-its-kind wet chemistry experiment, published Tuesday in Nature, confirmed the presence of essential ingredients of life preserved in ancient Martian sandstones.

"This experiment's never been run before on another world," said Amy Williams, an astrobiologist working on the Curiosity mission.

NASA's Curiosity rover has found a diverse mix of organic molecules on Mars, including chemicals considered building blocks for the origin of life on Earth.

NASA’s Curiosity rover has found a mix of organic materials on Mars that include chemicals considered to be the building blocks for life. It’s the first time a new kind of chemical experiment has been performed on Mars,

The findings reveal that the Martian surface can preserve the kinds of molecules that could serve as signs of ancient life.