A rare and massive piece of Mars, believed to be the largest of its kind ever discovered on Earth, has been sold at auction for a staggering $5.3 million.
The meteorite, named NWA 16788, weighs 24.5kg and measures almost 15 inches long. Sotheby’s, the auction house behind the sale, described it as “unbelievably rare” — and for good reason.
Only about 400 Martian meteorites have ever been found on Earth. This one is 70% larger than the next biggest piece ever recovered, according to the auction house.
It was discovered in November 2023 in a remote desert region of Niger — dry, dusty, and ideal for preserving something that could easily have been lost forever.
“This is the largest piece of Mars on planet Earth,” said Cassandra Hatton, vice-chairman of Science and Natural History at Sotheby’s.
“The odds of this getting from there to here are astronomically small.”
A Fall from the Heavens to Dry Earth
When celestial rocks pass through Earth’s atmosphere, they usually burn up or crash into the ocean. So, finding one in such perfect condition on land is a miracle.
“Remember that approximately 70% of Earth’s surface is covered in water,” Hatton said. “We’re incredibly lucky this landed on dry land instead of the middle of the ocean where we could actually find it.”
Though the winning bid was $4.3 million, taxes and fees pushed the final cost to about $5.3 million. The buyer’s identity remains confidential.
Would you pay millions to own a slice of the red planet? Or should such discoveries be kept in public museums? Let us know in the comment section.
Prehistoric Fossils Also Break Records
The auction wasn’t all about Mars.
A near-complete skeleton of a Ceratosaurus, a predator from the Late Jurassic era, sold for $26 million.
And the skull of a Pachycephalosaurus — a dome-headed dinosaur — fetched $1.4 million.
These high-profile sales reflect the growing global market for rare scientific and natural history artefacts.
Curious about Martian meteorites? See NASA’s research on Martian meteorites and how they help us understand the red planet.
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