The recent auction of a Martian meteorite at Sotheby’s New York for a record-breaking $5.3 million has raised significant concerns about its provenance, leading to an investigation by the government of Niger. The 54-pound (25-kilogram) meteorite, the largest of its kind ever discovered on Earth, was found in November 2023 in the Saharan desert of Niger.
Niger’s government has suspended the export of precious stones and meteorites while it looks into the sale, suspecting illicit international trafficking. The government insists that the meteorite may have been illegally removed from the country, despite Sotheby’s stating that the meteorite was exported in accordance with international procedures.
Experts, including American paleontologist Paul Sereno, have questioned the meteorite’s legal ownership, with some asserting that it should belong to Niger under national cultural patrimony laws, which protect rare mineralogical specimens. Additionally, the sale raises ethical questions regarding the commercialisation of valuable scientific specimens, as the meteorite provides unique insight into Mars’ geological history.
The meteorite, named NWA 16788, is believed to have been ejected from Mars following an asteroid impact and offers significant research value for the scientific community.
