Ray Blanco:

Organic Molecules of Unprecedented Size Discovered on Mars

Scientists analyzing pulverized rock onboard NASA's Curiosity rover have found the largest organic compounds on the red planet to date. The finding, published Monday, suggests prebiotic chemistry may have advanced further on Mars than previously observed.

Scientists probed an existing rock sample inside Curiosity's Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM) mini-lab and found the molecules decane, undecane, and dodecane. These compounds, which are made up of 10, 11, and 12 carbons, respectively, are thought to be the fragments of fatty acids that were preserved in the sample. Fatty acids are among the organic molecules that on Earth are chemical building blocks of life.

Curiosity scientists had previously discovered small, simple organic molecules on Mars, but finding these larger compounds provides the first evidence that organic chemistry advanced toward the kind of complexity required for an origin of life on Mars.

The new study also increases the chances that large organic molecules that can be made only in the presence of life, known as "biosignatures," could be preserved on Mars, allaying concerns that these compounds get destroyed after tens of millions of years of exposure to intense radiation and oxidation.

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James Altucher:

Trump’s Crypto Project to Offer Dollar-Tracking Stablecoin

President Trump’s crypto project World Liberty Financial said it plans to launch a stablecoin redeemable one-for-one with the dollar, an announcement that comes as his administration throws its support behind the digital tokens that underpin most crypto transactions.

The USD1 token will be 100% backed by short-term US Treasuries, dollar deposits and other cash equivalents, the Trump-backed decentralized-finance, or DeFi, firm said in a statement Tuesday. BitGo Inc. will serve as custodian and the USD1 tokens will be initially minted on the Ethereum and Binance Smart Chain blockchains. No timetable was disclosed.

The Trump administration and Congress are both pushing to cement the growing importance of stablecoins, the digital tokens that are supposed to maintain a steady value with backing from traditional assets.

Two bills traveling through the House and Senate are designed to give stablecoins a bigger role in the global payments infrastructure, with vocal support from Trump. The interest from Washington has helped encourage the steady flow of new money into the sector — even as other parts of the cryptocurrency industry have struggled — bringing the total value of stablecoins to more than $230 billion.

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Greg Guenthner:

TSLA Leaves Hate Sellers in the Dust

Late last week, we discussed the “bad news bounce” that helped to stabilize the market. Now, we're watching stocks extend their gains to begin the new trading week.

Today, I’ll show you how to get tactical in order to take advantage of the bounce. (Here’s a hint: You’ll want to focus on some of the hardest-hit names during this bearish news cycle.)

Tesla (TSLA) is the perfect example. Shares broke out above the critical $270 level immediately after the election, soaring more than 80% over the next month to fresh all-time highs. But the news quickly turned against Elon and his flagship public company. The stock suddenly topped out in December, giving back all its post-election gains into the Q1 broad market pullback.

Don’t get me wrong; there are plenty of legitimate fundamental concerns about TSLA. But when the selling becomes completely detached from reality, it’s a good idea to lean hard in the opposite direction. That’s exactly what’s happening with TSLA right now.

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