-Finding was made by the Mars rover's SAM instrument - which is capable of identifying organic compounds

-Mission's chief scientist reveals the news - but refuses to say exactly what the discovery is until it can be checked

-The discovery will be fully announced early next month at the Autumn meeting of the American Geophysical Union

Nasa's Mars Curiosity rover has reportedly made a major discovery on the Red Planet - but scientists are keeping quiet about what it is.

The finding was made by the six-wheeled rover's Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM) instrument in the Rocknest area of the Gale Crate, close to where the rover touched down.

SAM is Curiosity's on-board chemistry lab and is able to take a sample of Martian rock, soil or air and find out what it is made of.

Most importantly, it is capable of identifying organic compounds - carbon containing substances that could indicate life.

Except scientists are refusing to reveal its latest finding, merely saying that it is earthshaking.

[link to www.dailymail.co.uk]