Latest news with #NWA-16788
News18
2 days ago
- Science
- News18
World's Biggest Mars Rock Could Fetch $4 Million At July Auction
A Martian meteorite, NWA-16788, weighing 24.67 kg, will be auctioned at Sotheby's. Found in Niger, it is estimated to fetch up to $4 million.
NDTV
2 days ago
- Science
- NDTV
World's Largest Mars Rock Ever Found Could Sell For $4 Million At Sotheby's
A massive Martian meteorite, believed to be the largest ever discovered on Earth, is set to go under the hammer at a Sotheby's auction later this month. The rock, officially named NWA-16788, weighs an impressive 24.67 kilograms (54.39 pounds), making it approximately 70% larger than the previous record-holder, Taoudenni 002, which was found in Mali in 2021 and weighed 14.51 kg. The rare meteorite was discovered in November 2023 by a meteorite hunter in the Agadez region of Niger, an area typically known for dinosaur fossils rather than space rocks. A sample of the meteorite was sent to the Shanghai Astronomy Museum, which confirmed its Martian origin. Experts now estimate that this one-of-a-kind specimen could sell for up to US$4 million, attracting interest from collectors and scientific institutions alike. The sale offers a unique opportunity to own a piece of Mars without leaving Earth. "NWA 16788 is covered in a reddish-brown fusion crust, giving it an unmistakable Martian hue. 'Regmaglypts', or surface depressions formed by frictional heating during rapid descent through Earth's atmosphere, are also visible on the surface of the meteorite,' the Sotheby's listing explains."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. In other words, NWA 16788 is likely a relative newcomer here on Earth, having fallen from outer space rather recently." The meteorite will go under the hammer at Sotheby's New York on July 16. For some, the fact that the meteorite is being sold rather than donated to science is cause for concern. "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 on Wednesday. But for Julia Cartwright, a planetary scientist and Independent Research Fellow in the Institute for Space/School of Physics & Astronomy at the University of Leicester, England, there is a balance to be struck. "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 on Wednesday, describing a "symbiotic relationship" between researchers and collectors.
Scottish Sun
2 days ago
- Science
- Scottish Sun
Handbag-sized rock found on floor is actually worth £2.9 MILLION after experts say it's biggest chunk of Mars ever found
Officially named NWA-16788, the specimen was discovered by a meteorite hunter in November 2023 COLD HARD CASH Handbag-sized rock found on floor is actually worth £2.9 MILLION after experts say it's biggest chunk of Mars ever found Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) THE largest chunk of Mars ever found on Earth could sell for up to £2.9million ($4million) in a Sotheby's auction later this month. Believed to have crashed here as a meteorite, the Martian rock weighs in at 24.67 kilograms (54.39 pounds). Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 4 Officially named NWA-16788, the specimen was discovered by a meteorite hunter in November 2023 Credit: Sotheby's 4 The Shanghai Astronomy Museum has confirmed the rock's Martian identity based on a small sample sent there Credit: Sotheby's That's about 70 per cent larger than the previous record-holder - the 14.51kg Taoudenni 002 meteorite found in Mali back in 2021. Of the more than 77,000 officially recognised meteorites on Earth, fewer than 400 originate from Mars. That makes the rock a particularly rare find. Officially named NWA-16788, the specimen was discovered by a meteorite hunter in November 2023. Somewhere in the sparsely populated Agadez region of Niger, an area better known for its dinosaur fossils than its meteorites, the unnamed explorer found the lump of rock. The Shanghai Astronomy Museum has confirmed the rock's Martian identity based on a small sample sent there. The meteorite "shows minimal terrestrial weathering, indicating that its physical and chemical makeup have not been significantly altered since its arrival in the Sahara Desert," Sotheby's said in its listing. "In other words, NWA-16788 is likely a relative newcomer here on Earth, having fallen from outer space rather recently." Meteorites - a space rock that fails to burn up on entry through Earth's atmosphere - frequently fall to Earth. Although must are small and land unnoticed, often in the oceans. Mars Rock Samples- The Stories They Could Tell Scientists at Nasa It's thought the rock started its journey to our blue dot when an asteroid crashed into Mars and sent debris flying into space. However, some scientists question whether such a rare specimen should be up for sale. "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. "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." Planetary scientist Julia Cartwright, from the University of Leicester told CNN she hoped that the rock may still be used for science anyway. "The scientific interest will remain," she said. "The new owner may be very interested in learning from it, so we may still gather lots of science from this." Prior to landing at Sotheby's, the meteorite was show off to the public at an exhibition at the Italian Space Agency in Rome in 2024, and in a private gallery in Arezzo, Tuscany. The Sotheby's auction will begin on 16 July at 14:00 UTC. 4 It's thought the rock started its journey to our blue dot when an asteroid crashed into Mars and sent debris flying into space Credit: Sotheby's 4 Mars is pockmarked with asteroid impact craters Credit: Alamy
The Irish Sun
2 days ago
- Science
- The Irish Sun
Handbag-sized rock found on floor is actually worth £2.9 MILLION after experts say it's biggest chunk of Mars ever found
THE largest chunk of Mars ever found on Earth could sell for up to £2.9million ($4million) in a Sotheby's auction later this month. Believed to have crashed here as a meteorite, the Martian rock weighs in at 24.67 kilograms (54.39 pounds). Advertisement 4 Officially named NWA-16788, the specimen was discovered by a meteorite hunter in November 2023 Credit: Sotheby's 4 The Shanghai Astronomy Museum has confirmed the rock's Martian identity based on a small sample sent there Credit: Sotheby's That's about 70 per cent larger than the previous record-holder - the 14.51kg Taoudenni 002 meteorite found in Mali back in 2021. Of the more than 77,000 officially recognised meteorites on Earth, fewer than 400 originate from Mars. That makes the rock a particularly rare find. Officially named NWA-16788, the specimen was discovered by a meteorite hunter in November 2023. Advertisement READ MORE ON MARS Somewhere in the sparsely populated Agadez region of Niger, an area better known for its dinosaur fossils than its meteorites , the unnamed explorer found the lump of rock. The Shanghai Astronomy Museum has confirmed the rock's Martian identity based on a small sample sent there. The meteorite "shows minimal terrestrial weathering, indicating that its physical and chemical makeup have not been significantly altered since its arrival in the Sahara Desert," Sotheby's said in its "In other words, NWA-16788 is likely a relative newcomer here on Earth, having fallen from outer space rather recently." Advertisement Most read in Tech Meteorites - a space rock that fails to burn up on entry through Earth's atmosphere - frequently fall to Earth. Although must are small and land unnoticed, often in the oceans. Mars Rock Samples- The Stories They Could Tell Scientists at Nasa It's thought the rock started its journey to our blue dot when an asteroid crashed into Mars and sent debris flying into space. However, some scientists question whether such a rare specimen should be up for sale. Advertisement "It would be a shame if it disappeared into the vault of an oligarch," paleontologist Steve Brusatte from the University of Edinburgh . "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." Planetary scientist Julia Cartwright, from the University of Leicester told CNN she hoped that the rock may still be used for science anyway. "The scientific interest will remain," she said. Advertisement "The new owner may be very interested in learning from it, so we may still gather lots of science from this." Prior to landing at Sotheby's, the meteorite was show off to the public at an exhibition at the Italian Space Agency in Rome in 2024, and in a private gallery in Arezzo, Tuscany. The will begin on 16 July at 14:00 UTC. 4 It's thought the rock started its journey to our blue dot when an asteroid crashed into Mars and sent debris flying into space Credit: Sotheby's Advertisement 4 Mars is pockmarked with asteroid impact craters Credit: Alamy Mars facts Here's what you need to know about the red planet... Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun It is named after the Roman god of war The landmass of Mars is very similar to Earth but due to the difference in gravity you could jump three times higher there than you can here Mars is mountainous and hosts the tallest mountain known in the Solar System called Olympus Mons, which is three times higher than Everest Mars is considered to be the second most habitable planet after Earth It takes the planet 687 Earth days to orbit the Sun The planet has a diameter of 4,212 miles, and has an average distance from Earth of 140 million miles Martian temperatures can vary wildly, reaching as high as 70F/20C or as low as -225F/-153C
