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Record-Breaking Mars Rock Fetches Millions
A 25-kilogram Martian meteorite, the largest ever found on Earth, sold for over $5 million at Sotheby's New York auction. The final price significantly exceeded pre-sale estimates of $2-4 million. The buyer's identity remains confidential.
Interplanetary Journey
Designated NWA 16788, this space rock originated from an asteroid impact on Mars that ejected material into space approximately 225 million years ago. After traveling through the solar system, it landed in Niger's Sahara Desert where meteorite hunters discovered it in 2023.
Scientific Authentication
Sotheby's verified its Martian origin through compositional analysis matching data from NASA's 1976 Viking landers. Only around 400 Martian meteorites exist on Earth, with this single specimen representing 7% of the total known Martian mass on our planet.
Market Significance
The record-setting sale highlights growing collector interest in extraterrestrial materials. Martian meteorites belong to three rare categories - shergottites, nakhlites, and chassignites - formed through volcanic processes on the Red Planet before cosmic impacts launched them toward Earth.
