Latest news with #Auction
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Science
- Yahoo
Sold: Largest Mars Rock Exceeds Auction Expectations
The largest individual Martian rock ever found on Earth has sold at a Sotheby's auction for almost US$5.3 million, to an anonymous bidder. This massive chunk of Mars is a meteorite named NWA-16788, and at 24.67 kilograms (54.39 pounds), it towers over the previous record-holder, Taoudenni 002, a meteorite weighing 14.51 kg found in Mali back in 2021. The Sotheby's auction opened on July 16 at 14:00 UTC, and closed just under five hours later, at 18:46 UTC. Prior to the event, the value of this scientific marvel was estimated to be between $2 million and $4 million, but ultimately it sold for $5.296 million. The Martian rock's pristine condition and rich history likely led to it surpassing expectations. NWA-16788 "shows minimal terrestrial weathering, indicating that its physical and chemical makeup have not been significantly altered since its arrival in the Sahara Desert," the Sotheby's listing explains. "In other words, NWA-16788 is likely a relative newcomer here on Earth, having fallen from outer space rather recently." The rock was likely sent careening into Earth when an asteroid forcefully crashed into its home planet, based on the presence of a few shock-melted areas, and the fact that around a fifth of its make-up is a glass called maskelynite, which forms when feldspar is transformed through intense heat and pressure. The Sotheby's listing states the meteorite was "formed from the slow cooling of Martian magma and [is] characterized by a coarse-grained texture composed primarily of pyroxene, maskelynite, and olivine." These micro-gabbroic qualities make it particularly rare: only 5.4 percent of Mars meteorites are classified as such. It was discovered by a meteorite hunter in the Agadez region of Niger, in November 2023. A small sample was sent to the Shanghai Astronomy Museum, where its Martian identity was confirmed. Related: The auction raised mixed feelings from the scientific community, with some questioning whether we should really put a price-tag on such a rare specimen. "It would be a shame if it disappeared into the vault of an oligarch," paleontologist Steve Brusatte from the University of Edinburgh told Jack Guy at CNN, before the auction took place. "It belongs in a museum, where it can be studied, and where it can be enjoyed by children and families and the public at large." Meanwhile, University of Leicester planetary scientist Julia Cartwright gave CNN a different opinion: "The scientific interest will remain, and the new owner may be very interested in learning from it, so we may still gather lots of science from this." But with the successful bidder's identity concealed, the fate of this very expensive rock is uncertain. Related News One of 2025's Best Meteor Showers Is Upon Us: Here's How to Watch Meteorite Discovery Could Fill Billion Year Gap in Moon History Birth of a Solar System Witnessed in Spectacular Scientific First Solve the daily Crossword
Gizmodo
14-07-2025
- Science
- Gizmodo
Biggest Martian Meteorite Ever Found Could Fetch $4 Million at Auction
One lucky bidder will soon fork over millions of dollars to take home NWA 16788, a 54-pound (24-kilogram) Martian meteorite. This space rock, discovered in the Sahara Desert in 2023, is the largest chunk of the Red Planet ever found on Earth. Sotheby's, a New York-based auction house, estimates the meteorite could fetch up to $4 million during its natural history sale on Wednesday, July 16. Bidding starts at a cool $1.9 million. Sotheby's describes NWA 16788 as an 'incredibly rare discovery' that traveled 140 million miles (225 million kilometers) through space before plunging into Earth's atmosphere and crash-landing in the desert. Based on its composition, scientists believe a powerful asteroid impact dislodged this meteorite from the surface of Mars. 'NWA 16788 is a discovery of extraordinary significance—the largest Martian meteorite ever found on Earth, and the most valuable of its kind ever offered at auction,' Cassandra Hatton, vice chairman for science and natural history at Sotheby's, said in a statement. 'This remarkable meteorite provides a tangible connection to the red planet—our celestial neighbor that has long captured the human imagination.' The reddish-brown boulder is roughly 70% bigger than the next-largest piece of Mars found on Earth, which makes it a singular find among an incredibly rare class of geologic specimens. According to Sotheby's, only 400 of the more than 77,000 officially recognized meteorites come from Mars. The auction house estimates that this single rock represents roughly 6.5% of the total mass of all known Martian material on Earth. A meteorite hunter discovered NWA 16788 exactly two years before its auction date while searching for space rocks in the Kefkaf region of Niger, according to The Meteorological Society. The organization documented its physical characteristics as a 'grey to brown exterior surface partially covered with a grey to brownish fusion crust.' A fusion crust is a key feature that distinguishes meteorites from Earth rocks. This dark, glossy exterior forms when the meteorite plummets through our planet's atmosphere at incredibly high speeds. The force of its descent compresses and heats the air in its path, causing its exterior to melt and ablate. When the meteorite slows down enough to stop melting, the last melt cools to create a glassy coating. According to Sotheby's, NWA 16788's surface also bears regmaglypts—shallow depressions probably created by small vortices of hot gas carrying droplets of molten meteorite that erode parts of the surface as the space rock falls to Earth. Aside from these markings, NWA 16788 shows minimal signs of terrestrial weathering, indicating that it probably arrived on our planet relatively recently, Sotheby's explains. Following its discovery, The Shanghai Astronomy Museum received a small piece of the meteorite for identification, classifying it as a shergottite, the most abundant type of Martian meteorite found on Earth. These igneous rocks form from volcanic activity on Mars, solidifying from molten magma. It may seem unusual to put this remarkable specimen up for sale rather than displaying it in a museum. Before it arrived at Sotheby's, the Italian Space Agency in Rome and a private gallery in Arezzo publicly exhibited NWA 16788, Tuscany, according to Sotheby's. Some experts aren't thrilled to see it stashed away in someone's personal collection. 'It would be a shame if it disappeared into the vault of an oligarch. It belongs in a museum, where it can be studied, and where it can be enjoyed by children and families and the public at large,' Steve Brusatte, a professor of paleontology and evolution at Scotland's University of Edinburgh, told CNN. Julia Cartwright, a planetary scientist and independent research fellow at the University of Leicester, England, sees things differently. 'Ultimately, if there was no market for searching, collecting and selling meteorites, we would not have anywhere near as many in our collections—and this drives the science!' she told CNN. No matter where it ends up, NWA 16788 will always serve as a reminder of the strange and extraordinary ways Earth interacts with other planets in the solar system. Human exploration of Mars may still be a long way off, but once in a while, the cosmos brings a piece of the Red Planet to us, helping scientists unravel the mysteries of our celestial neighbor.
Yahoo
11-07-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Want to own a huge chunk of Mars? It'll likely cost you up to $4 million
A bidder here on Earth will soon shell out a lot of green for a piece of the red planet as Sotheby's puts a Martian meteorite up for auction. NWA 16788, the largest piece of Mars on Earth, is expected to fetch up to $4 million during the July 16 auction in New York City, according to Sotheby's. Pieces of Mars found on Earth are rare. According to the auction house, just 400 of the more than 77,000 officially recognized meteorites found on Earth — or about 0.6% — are from Mars. The meteorite represents approximately 6.5% of all Martian material currently known on Earth. Meteorites come from meteors, space rocks that enter Earth's atmosphere. Most meteors burn up as they fall toward Earth, but the ones that survive the trip through Earth's atmosphere are considered meteorites. The chunk of Martian rock being auctioned off by Sotheby's was likely dislodged from the planet by an asteroid strike. NWA 16788 traveled 140 million miles through space before it crashed in the Sahara Desert, where it was found in Niger's remote Agadez Region in 2023, according to Sotheby's. "The odds of this getting from there to here are astronomically small," Cassandra Hatton, Sotheby's vice chairman of science and natural history, said in an auction house video. The meteorite weighs just over 54 pounds, which makes it the largest meteorite from Mars, but not the largest meteorite ever found. According to NASA, a meteorite originally weighing over 100 tons once fell to Namibia. It's believed that NWA 16788 is a "relative newcomer here on Earth, having fallen from outer space rather recently," Sotheby's said in its auction listing. The meteorite is on public view at Sotheby's New York galleries until July 15. "This isn't just a miraculous find, but a massive dataset that can help us unlock the secrets of our neighbor, the red planet," Hatton said in the auction house video. Sotheby's regularly auctions meteorites. "Specimens of the Moon and Mars are among the greatest of rarities on our planet — as every bit of both would fit in the cargo hold of a large SUV," the auction house wrote in a 2022 collector's guide. Social media content creator shows his hustle Udemy Is Powering Enterprise AI Transformation Through Skills Surveillance video shows Israeli strike that killed 10 children at Gaza clinic
New Indian Express
09-07-2025
- Sport
- New Indian Express
Pro Kabaddi League announces Season 12 dates
This year Pro Kabaddi League Season 12 will begin from August 29. This was announced on Wednesday by Mashal Sports, the organisers of the Pro Kabaddi League. Following the success of eleven thrilling seasons, PKL is set to enter an exciting new chapter. The venues and other details for Season 12 will be announced later. According to a PKL statement, "Season 12 will witness reigning champions Haryana Steelers return to defend their maiden title after their spectacular victory in Season 11. The competitive balance of the league continues to showcase the unpredictability that has made PKL one of India's most exciting sporting spectacles." The statement says that with all twelve franchises strengthening their squads through the recently concluded auction, the upcoming season promises to deliver unprecedented levels of competition and entertainment. Commenting on the commencement of Season 12, Anupam Goswami, business head of Mashal & League Commissioner – Pro Kabaddi, stated, 'We are thrilled to unveil the commencement date for PKL Season 12. Following a record-breaking Player Auction, which saw 10 players cross the INR 1 crore mark, we have set a foundation for what promises to be our most competitive season yet. We look forward to bringing fans another thrilling chapter of kabaddi action.' The highly anticipated Pro Kabaddi League Season 12 Player Auction took place in Mumbai on May 31 and June 1, where a record-breaking 10 players secured contracts exceeding INR 1 crore, setting a new benchmark for the competition.
India Gazette
09-07-2025
- Sport
- India Gazette
Pro Kabaddi League Season 12 to kickstart from August 29
ANI 09 Jul 2025, 18:06 GMT+10 Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], July 9 (ANI): The Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) announced on Wednesday that Season 12 of the competition will commence on Friday, August 29. Season 12 will see reigning champions Haryana Steelers return to defend their maiden title, following their spectacular victory in Season 11. The competitive balance of the league continues to showcase the unpredictability that has made PKL one of India's most exciting sporting spectacles. With all twelve franchises strengthening their squads through the recently concluded auction, the upcoming season promises to deliver unprecedented levels of competition and entertainment. The venues and other details for Season 12 will be announced soon. Commenting on the commencement of season 12, Anupam Goswami, Business Head - Mashal & League Commissioner - Pro Kabaddi, stated as quoted by PKL press release, 'We are thrilled to unveil the commencement date for PKL Season 12. Following a record-breaking Player Auction, which saw 10 players cross the INR 1 crore mark, we have set a foundation for what promises to be our most competitive season yet. We look forward to bringing fans another thrilling chapter of kabaddi action.' The highly anticipated Pro Kabaddi League season 12 Player Auction took place in Mumbai on May 31 and June 1, where a record-breaking 10 players secured contracts exceeding Rs. 1 crore, setting a new benchmark for the competition. Under the aegis and sanction from the Amateur Kabaddi Federation of India (AKFI), Mashal Sports and JioStar have built PKL into one of India's most successful sports leagues. The Pro Kabaddi League has transformed India's indigenous sport of Kabaddi and its athletes on the national and global stage. (ANI)
