The scientific community was surprised by the unprecedented sale of the largest Martian meteorite ever discovered on terrestrial territory. The space sample weighing 25 kilograms, registered under catalog number NWA 16788, attracted exceptional interest among collectors and researchers.
The find, which was initially discovered in the desert expanses of Niger in November 2023 by a specialized meteorite hunter, represents an extremely rare geological artifact. Experts from the renowned auction house "Sotheby's" confirmed its Martian origin, emphasizing that such specimens comprise less than 1% of all registered meteorites on the planet.
Initial price forecasts ranged between 2 and 4 million dollars, but the final price exceeded all expectations. The official auction value reached 5.3 million dollars, which includes additional fees and commissions.
Cassandra Hatton, lead expert from "Sotheby's", emphasized the uniqueness of the find: "This meteorite is more than twice the size of previously known Martian pieces". Its dimensions - 375 x 279 x 152 millimeters - make it an undisputed record holder among such space samples.
Scientific research shows that the meteorite was torn from the surface of Mars as a result of a massive asteroid impact, overcoming an incredible distance of 225 million kilometers. Specialized laboratories confirmed its origin by comparing it with the chemical composition of samples collected from the Viking space mission in 1976.
An interesting fact is that out of a total of 77,000 officially registered meteorites on Earth, only 400 are of Martian origin. This specific specimen is distinguished by a characteristic color palette - a combination of red, brown, and gray shades.
Parallel to this sensational sale, during the same auction, another remarkable deal was realized - a skeleton of a young Ceratosaurus nasicornis dinosaur, which reached an impressive price of 30.5 million dollars.
The identity of the Martian meteorite buyer remained a secret, which further heightened the intrigue around this exceptional geological acquisition.