Seven months after NASA's rover Curiosity landed on Mars to assess if the planet most like Earth had the ingredients for life, NASA scientists say they have their answer: yes.

This set of images compares rocks seen by NASA's Opportunity rover and Curiosity rover at two different parts of Mars. On the left is " Wopmay" rock, in Endurance Crater, Meridiani Planum, as studied by the Opportunity rover. On the right are the rocks of the "Sheepbed" unit in Yellowknife Bay, in Gale Crater, as seen by Curiosity.[NASA]

An analysis of a rock sample collected by Curiosity rover shows ancient Mars could have supported living microbes.

Scientists identified sulfur, nitrogen, hydrogen, oxygen, phosphorus and carbon -- some of the key chemical ingredients for life -- in the powder Curiosity drilled out of a rock on the Red Planet last month. The data indicates the Yellowknife Bay area the rover is exploring was not harshly oxidizing, or extremely salty. It could have provided chemical energy and other favorable conditions for microbes. Scientists plan to work with Curiosity to explore the area for many more weeks before beginning a long drive to Gale Crater's central mound, Mount Sharp, where clay minerals and sulfate minerals have been identified from outer space orbit.

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