The $5 Million Mars Rock Mystery

A 25-kilogram meteorite from Mars, known as NWA 16788, sold for over $5 million at a New York auction, setting a world record. Discovered in Niger’s Sahara Desert in 2023, the rock’s journey from Mars to Earth spans 225 million kilometers. Niger has launched an investigation, calling the sale illegal trafficking and halting all gemstone and meteorite exports. Sotheby’s claims the sale was legal, but experts note meteorites may qualify as cultural property under UNESCO rules, leaving the rock’s future uncertain.