Abiotic Martian Organics Understanding the sources and the formation mechanisms of organic carbon compounds on Mars has implications for our understanding of the martian carbon cycle. Steele et al. (p. 212 , published online 24 May) present measurements of organic material in 11 martian meteorites, including the Tissint meteorite, which fell in the Moroccan desert in July 2011. Ten of the meteorites contain complex hydrocarbons encased within igneous minerals. The results imply that the organics formed as the magma melt crystallized and are thus of abiotic origin.