Re:JPL director: Curiosity may have found organic, not biolo...
by pilsetnieks on Wednesday November 28, 2012 @06:18AM
(#4841969)
Organic compounds and organic chemistry are thus named for historical reasons, not that they necessarily have anything to do with organisms (although they can). Generally it's carbon-hydrogen based molecules, for example, methane (CH4) is the simplest organic molecule.
As to what is a biological molecule, well, that's a harder question. In a somewhat tautological way I'd probably say that's something coming from a biological organism.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Organic_compounds
As to what is a biological molecule, well, that's a harder question. In a somewhat tautological way I'd probably say that's something coming from a biological organism.