In a briefing, Nasa scientists announced that Curiosity had detected organic compounds - complex molecules containing carbon, without which no known life can develop.

BBC: New age of exploration in the hunt for extreme life

In these areas, the water appears to be covered by a dark material that the researchers suspect might be complex organic molecules.

FORBES: NASA Has Discovered Water Ice On Mercury

Despite the excitement over achieving one of the mission's main goals, it has yet to find complex organic molecules considered the chemical building blocks of life.

NPR: Mars Rover Curiosity Stands Down After New Problem

One key element in searching for life on Mars is the presence of methane in the Martian atmosphere As a simple carbon compound, methane is often a precursor to the formation of the complex organic chemicals that make life possible.

FORBES: Curiosity Sniffs The Martian Atmosphere But Finds No Sign Of Life

Unlike traditional semiconductors, which are crystals of elements such as silicon and germanium, organic semiconductors are more complex versions of the chemicals from which plastics are made.

ECONOMIST: Robotics

In the previous approaches so far, the systems have had complex structures such as organic complexes or plural photo-electrodes, which makes it difficult to improve their efficiency in response to the light.

ENGADGET: Panasonic Photosynthesis System converts carbon dioxide to organic material with plant-like efficiency

Like Earth, Titan's atmosphere is composed primarily of nitrogen, but the liquids and vapors on the moon's surface are made of methane and other organic chemicals integral to the creation of complex life.

ENGADGET