Investigation into the disappearance of Earth's largest 'Martian rock'.

The largest Martian rock ever found on Earth, discovered in Niger, is now being auctioned in New York, USA. Four Nigerien families are under investigation.

The largest known Martian rock on Earth is on display at Sotheby's in New York, USA - Photo: REUTERS

The Nigerien government has officially launched a large-scale investigation into the sale of a Martian meteorite at auction in New York. This rare object was discovered in the Agadez region of northern Niger and is considered "the largest Martian rock ever found on Earth."

According to an announcement from the Niger Council of Ministers meeting on July 19, in light of indications suggesting the possible existence of transnational illegal trafficking, the government has directed four ministries—the Ministries of Mines, Higher Education , Public Security, and Justice—to urgently investigate the matter.

Sotheby's auction house, which organized the auction in New York, said the meteorite weighs 24.67 kg and was discovered on November 16, 2023, in Niger.

This object accounts for 6.5% of the total Martian material identified globally to date, and is approximately 70% larger than the second-largest Martian sample ever recorded.

According to Sotheby's statistics, of the more than 77,000 meteorites officially recorded worldwide , only about 400 specimens have been identified as originating from Mars, further confirming the exceptional rarity of the meteorite that was recently auctioned for nearly $5 million.

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VNA

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/dieu-tra-vu-that-lac-tang-da-sao-hoa-lon-nhat-trai-dat-20250720075759153.htm