An exceptionally rare Martian meteorite has been sold for £3.2 million at a Sotheby’s auction in New York after being discovered in the Sahara Desert. Weighing 24.5kg (54lb), the meteorite—named NWA 16788—is the largest known fragment from Mars ever found on Earth. It was propelled from the Martian surface following a colossal asteroid impact, travelling approximately 140 million miles before crash-landing in Niger in November 2023.
++ Meet the kakapo: the world’s heaviest, weirdest parrot
The meteorite was discovered by a hunter in the Agadez region, where it had landed on dry terrain—an unusually fortunate outcome given that 70 per cent of the Earth’s surface is water. Cassandra Hatton, vice-chair of science and natural history at Sotheby’s, highlighted the extraordinary odds of the meteorite’s survival and recovery: “The chances of this rock making it here and being found are astronomically small.”
Composed in part of Maskelynite—a glassy substance formed under extreme pressure and heat—NWA 16788 bears the distinctive reddish-brown crust associated with Martian origin. It represents around seven per cent of all known Martian material found on Earth. Its well-preserved surface suggests it has only recently arrived, with minimal signs of terrestrial weathering.
++ Trump urges Coca-Cola to reintroduce cane sugar in US formula
The identity of the buyer remains undisclosed, and it is not yet known where the meteorite will be kept. The sale took place as part of Sotheby’s “Geek Week,” which featured a range of scientific and natural wonders. Among other highlights, a Ceratosaurus skeleton fetched £19 million, while the skull of a Pachycephalosaurus went for £1 million.
