A remarkably rare specimen from Mars, identified as the largest Martian meteorite ever discovered on Earth, was sold for $4.3 million (£3.2 million) at a New York auction on Wednesday.
Known as NWA 16788, the meteorite weighs approximately 54 pounds (24.5 kg) and measures nearly 15 inches (38.1 cm) in length, according to Sotheby’s.
The Martian rock was unearthed in a remote area of Niger in November 2023 and is reportedly 70% larger than the next largest Martian meteorite ever recovered, the auction house stated.
Meteorites are fragments of rock that survive the passage of an asteroid or comet through Earth’s atmosphere.
Sotheby’s auction house characterized the reddish-brown meteorite as “unbelievably rare,” noting that only around 400 Martian meteorites have been found on Earth to date.
“This is the largest piece of Mars on planet Earth. The chances of it getting from there to here are astronomically small,” said Cassandra Hatton, Sotheby’s vice-chairman of science and natural history, in an online video.
“Considering that approximately 70% of Earth’s surface is covered in water, we’re incredibly fortunate that this landed on dry land rather than in the middle of the ocean, where it would be difficult to locate.”
The identity of the buyer and the meteorite’s final destination remain undisclosed, as details of the sale will be kept private.
Including additional taxes and fees, the total price for the Martian rock amounted to approximately $5.3 million, Sotheby’s confirmed.
At the Wednesday auction, which featured over 100 items, a Ceratosaurus skeleton from the late Jurassic period fetched $26 million, while the skull of a Pachycephalosaurus sold for $1.4 million.
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