Investigation into the loss of the largest 'Mars rock' on Earth

The largest Martian rock ever found on Earth, found in Niger, is being auctioned off in New York. Four Niger ministries are investigating.

The largest known Martian rock on Earth is on display at Sotheby's in New York, USA - Photo: REUTERS

The Niger government has officially launched a large-scale investigation into the sale of a meteorite originating from Mars in New York (USA). This rare object was discovered in the Agadez region, northern Niger and is considered "the largest Martian rock ever discovered on Earth".

According to the announcement from the Council of Ministers meeting of Niger on July 19, in response to signs that illegal cross-border trafficking may exist, the government has directed four ministries, including the Ministry of Mines, Higher Education , Public Security and Justice, to urgently investigate and clarify the case.

Sotheby's, the auction house that organized the auction in New York, said the meteorite weighed 24.67 kg and was discovered on November 16, 2023, in Niger.

The object accounts for 6.5% of the total mass of Martian material identified so far globally, and is about 70% larger than the second-largest Martian sample ever recorded.

According to Sotheby's statistics, out of more than 77,000 meteorites officially recorded worldwide , only about 400 specimens have been identified as originating from Mars, which further confirms the special rarity of the meteorite that was recently auctioned for nearly 5 million USD.

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VNA

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/dieu-tra-vu-that-lac-tang-da-sao-hoa-lon-nhat-trai-dat-20250720075759153.htm