Latest news with #MartianRock
Yahoo
6 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
The Independent
14-07-2025
- Science
- The Independent
Largest piece of Martian rock on Earth goes up for auction
Sotheby's in New York is auctioning an "incredibly rare" 55-pound Martian rock, named NWA 16788, with an estimated sale price of over US$1.6 million (£1.2 million). Discovered in Niger in 2023, the reddish-brown meteorite travelled 140 million miles to Earth and is the largest piece of Mars ever found on our planet. The rock, an olivine-microgabbroic shergottite, represents nearly seven per cent of all Martian material currently on Earth and was previously exhibited at the Italian Space Agency. Also going on sale at Sotheby's is an 11-foot-long juvenile Ceratosaurus nasicornis skeleton, expected to fetch between $ 4million and $6 million. The dinosaur skeleton, found in Wyoming in 1996, dates back approximately 65 million years to the late Cretaceous period and will be auctioned on Wednesday. Martian rock that crash landed in the Sahara listed to sell for around $2M at auction
Time of India
04-07-2025
- Science
- Time of India
Largest Mars rock could sell for a staggering $4 million
A rare and massive meteorite from Mars , known as NWA 16788, is poised to make headlines as it heads to auction with an estimated price of up to $4 million. Weighing 54 pounds (24.5 kilograms), it is the largest known piece of the Red Planet ever discovered on Earth, making it 70% larger than any previously found Martian meteorite. First unearthed in Niger's remote Agadez region in November 2023, this extraordinary specimen is not only scientifically significant but also visually striking, with a glassy crust and deep red hues that reflect its Martian origin. Martian Rock: A once-in-a-generation discovery According to Sotheby's, the auction house hosting the sale on July 16 in New York, NWA 16788 is among just 400 confirmed Martian meteorites ever found. Its immense size and exceptional condition set it apart from the usual small fragments that survive Earth's atmosphere. Cassandra Hatton, Vice Chairman of Science and Natural History at Sotheby's, described it as 'a discovery of extraordinary significance... a tangible connection to the Red Planet.' The meteorite likely arrived on Earth after a powerful asteroid impact blasted it from Mars millions of years ago. Scientific insights encased in glass Analysis reveals that parts of NWA 16788 were turned to glass during its ejection from Mars and again during its fiery descent through Earth's atmosphere. Planetary scientist Julia Cartwright of the University of Leicester called it a 'fabulous rock,' noting that a reference sample is secured at China's Purple Mountain Observatory, ensuring future scientific study. She emphasized the balance between private collecting and academic access: 'Without the market, we wouldn't have nearly as many samples to study.' Public or private? Experts weigh in While some scientists, like Professor Steve Brusatte of the University of Edinburgh, express concern that the rock might vanish into a private vault, others recognize the role collectors play. 'It would be a shame if it disappeared from public view,' said Brusatte. Cartwright, however, remains optimistic, suggesting the new owner could still collaborate with researchers. The meteorite's fate may remain unknown after the auction, but its legacy in planetary science is already secured.
