In a groundbreaking auction on Wednesday at Sotheby's in New York, a meteorite from Mars sold for a staggering $4.3 million (£3.2 million). Known as NWA 16788, this impressive specimen weighs in at 54 pounds (24.5 kilograms) and measures nearly 15 inches (38.1 centimeters) long. Discovered in a remote region of Niger in November 2023, it is reported to be 70% larger than the next largest piece of Martian rock recovered so far.
Sotheby's has characterized this reddish-brown meteorite as "unbelievably rare," with only about 400 Martian meteorites documented on our planet. Cassandra Hatton, vice-chairman of science and natural history at the auction house, shared in an online video that the chance of this meteorite traveling from Mars to Earth is "astronomically small." She highlighted the importance of the landing site, noting that much of Earth's surface is covered in water, yet this meteorite was fortunate enough to land on dry land.
The final price of the meteorite, which includes additional taxes and fees, reached approximately $5.3 million. While the auction featured over 100 items, including a Ceratosaurus skeleton that sold for $26 million and a Pachycephalosaurus skull that fetched $1.4 million, the Martian find stood out as a pivotal piece in the realm of space exploration and collecting. The ultimate fate of this incredible meteorite remains uncertain, as details of the sale will be kept private.
