Mars' Most Sizable Rock Discovered on Earth Auctioned at Sotheby's for $4.3 Million
### A Piece of Mars Sold for $5.3 Million: The Story Behind NWA 16788
In a historic event, a rare Mars meteorite named NWA 16788 was sold at a Sotheby's auction in New York for a staggering $5.3 million. This 54-pound, 14.8-inch meteorite, discovered in 2016 in the Sahara Desert, is one of the largest Martian meteorites ever found and represents 6.5% of all Martian material currently on Earth.
#### Discovery and Significance
The exact location of NWA 16788's discovery remains undisclosed to protect the site and prevent overcollection. This unbelievably rare meteorite, which makes up only 0.5% of the 77,000 officially recognized meteorites, was found by nomads in the Sahara Desert.
NWA 16788, identified as an olivine-gabbroic shergottite, is 70% larger than the next biggest piece of Mars that has been recovered. This meteorite traveled more than 140 million miles across the Solar System before crashing in the Agadez region of Nigeria.
#### Scientific Significance
This Mars meteorite contains materials such as olivine, also found in Earth's upper mantle. Scientists are particularly interested in studying Martian meteorites to understand the planet's water cycle, geological evolution, and potential habitability.
NWA 16788, like other nakhlites, is estimated to be around 1.3 billion years old, providing a window into Mars' past volcanic and tectonic activity. The meteorite was formed from magma on Mars that slowly cooled, according to Sotheby's. A sample of the rock was sent to a specialized laboratory to be tested for Maskelynite glass, a mineral that forms under high-pressure conditions.
#### Controversy and Public Interest
Sometimes, there is controversy surrounding meteorite discoveries, especially concerning their origin and ownership. However, the scientific community primarily focuses on the meteorite's composition and its implications for our understanding of Mars.
The discovery of large Martian meteorites like NWA 16788 often generates significant public interest due to their rarity and the potential they hold for revealing secrets about Mars. The original bid for NWA 16788 was $4.3 million, and with fees and additional costs, the total price increased to about $5.3 million.
#### Post-Auction
The current owner of the NWA 16788 meteorite is unknown. Prior to the auction, the meteorite was on public display at the Italian Space Agency in Rome and in a private gallery in Arezzo, Tuscany.
The auction also featured other notable items, such as a Ceratosaurus skeleton from the late Jurassic period, which sold for $26 million, and a Pachycephalosaurus skull from the late Cretaceous period, which sold for $1.4 million. The event was part of Sotheby's Geek Week, which included Wednesday's auction containing 122 items, among which was a first-generation Apple-1 computer from the first batch built by Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak in 1976.
Technology played a significant role in determining the authenticity of NWA 16788 during the auction, as advanced imaging and analysis tools were used to verify its Martian origins.
The enormous amount paid for NWA 16788 at the Sotheby's auction indicates a growing interest among travel enthusiasts and space aficionados in acquiring unique items connected to space-and-astronomy, such as meteorites and ancient fossils.
Video footage of the auction, featuring high-definition close-ups of the NWA 16788 meteorite, can provide scientists with additional evidence to study the meteorite's structure and composition. Moreover, this visual documentation serves to fuel public fascination with the mysteries surrounding Mars and the universe.
