Niger has initiated an investigation into the "trafficking" of a meteorite from Mars. The piece of rock was sold by Sotheby's last month for a whopping $5 million (someone really wanted a piece of our neighbour). Niger officials are now up in arms, saying that it was illegally smuggled out of the country. According to Sotheby's, a meteorite hunter stumbled upon the piece of Mars in the Sahara desert in 2023 after it travelled 225 million kilometres in space to reach Earth. It was then sold to an international dealer whose identity has not been disclosed. Africa has become a prime ground for the discovery of such space rocks because its climate is most suited to their preservation. People go hunting for them since meteorites can fetch a handsome amount of money when sold to scientists and others interested in owning space rocks. This particular meteorite is now at the centre of a tussle. Niger says it belongs to them, but Sotheby's claims it reached them, keeping in line with all the protocols. Can Niger stake a claim to the Mars meteorite or the sale money? Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/black-hole-probe-needs-100-years-1-trillion-dollars-and-nano-technology-cosmic-backyard-earth-1754653395895">Black hole probe needs 100 years, $1 trillion and fictional technology. But there is an even bigger problem</a>Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/james-webb-discovers-oldest-black-hole-in-the-universe-1754652420362">'A dead ringer': James Webb discovers universe's oldest black hole</a><h2>Niger is angry that the Martian meteorite was sold in New York</h2>Niger insists that the meteorite did not legally leave the country. Heritage academic journal traced the rock's journey, stating that it was sold to an international dealer, and later it was in a private gallery in Italy. Here, a team of scientists from the University of Florence studied the Martian meteorite to learn about its origins. It then reaches the museum in Rome, and from there, at Sotheby's in New York. The auction house sold it for $5 million. Niger sat up and took notice, and raised a hue and cry about the fact that it was sold out of the country. It is now probing the circumstances that led to it reaching New York. Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/universe-biggest-black-hole-is-so-monstrous-that-it-can-fit-36-billion-suns-1754645711409">Universe's biggest black hole is so monstrous that it can fit 36 billion Suns</a><h2>Sotheby's says it followed all the rules</h2>Sotheby's told The Associated Press that the export of the meteorite was in line with relevant international procedures.“As with everything we sell, all necessary documentation was in order at each stage of its journey, in accordance with best practice and the requirements of the countries involved," the statement read. Despite Sotheby's insistence that nothing illegal took place, Niger insists that the meteorite's exit was similar to "international trafficking." Can Niger claim the meteorite? According to the UNESCO Convention on Cultural Property, &nbsp;meteorites can qualify as cultural property of a country. However, Patty Gerstenblith, a cultural heritage lawyer and expert on illicit trade, says that for this to happen, Niger would need to prove that it owned the meteorite and someone stole it. "But if it was properly declared upon import into the US," then there is nothing that Niger can do.

Can Niger get the meteorite from Mars back? The biggest Martian meteorite ever seen on Earth was sold for $5 million by Sothebys. It was found in the Sahara Desert in 2023, and Niger is pretty livid and asking how it left the country. Can it get it back?

Niger has initiated an investigation into the "trafficking" of a meteorite from Mars. The piece of rock was sold by Sotheby's last month for a whopping $5 million (someone really wanted a piece of our neighbour). Niger officials are now up in arms, saying that it was illegally smuggled out of the country. According to Sotheby's, a meteorite hunter stumbled upon the piece of Mars in the Sahara desert in 2023 after it travelled 225 million kilometres in space to reach Earth. It was then sold to an international dealer whose identity has not been disclosed. Africa has become a prime ground for the discovery of such space rocks because its climate is most suited to their preservation. People go hunting for them since meteorites can fetch a handsome amount of money when sold to scientists and others interested in owning space rocks. This particular meteorite is now at the centre of a tussle. Niger says it belongs to them, but Sotheby's claims it reached them, keeping in line with all the protocols. Can Niger stake a claim to the Mars meteorite or the sale money? Also Read: Black hole probe needs 100 years, $1 trillion and fictional technology. But there is an even bigger problem Also Read: 'A dead ringer': James Webb discovers universe's oldest black hole Niger is angry that the Martian meteorite was sold in New York Niger insists that the meteorite did not legally leave the country. Heritage academic journal traced the rock's journey, stating that it was sold to an international dealer, and later it was in a private gallery in Italy. Here, a team of scientists from the University of Florence studied the Martian meteorite to learn about its origins. It then reaches the museum in Rome, and from there, at Sotheby's in New York. The auction house sold it for $5 million. Niger sat up and took notice, and raised a hue and cry about the fact that it was sold out of the country. It is now probing the circumstances that led to it reaching New York. Also Read: Universe's biggest black hole is so monstrous that it can fit 36 billion Suns Sotheby's says it followed all the rules Sotheby's told The Associated Press that the export of the meteorite was in line with relevant international procedures.“As with everything we sell, all necessary documentation was in order at each stage of its journey, in accordance with best practice and the requirements of the countries involved," the statement read. Despite Sotheby's insistence that nothing illegal took place, Niger insists that the meteorite's exit was similar to "international trafficking." Can Niger claim the meteorite? According to the UNESCO Convention on Cultural Property, meteorites can qualify as cultural property of a country. However, Patty Gerstenblith, a cultural heritage lawyer and expert on illicit trade, says that for this to happen, Niger would need to prove that it owned the meteorite and someone stole it. "But if it was properly declared upon import into the US," then there is nothing that Niger can do.

Can Niger get the meteorite from Mars back? The biggest Martian meteorite ever seen on Earth was sold for $5 million by Sotheby's. It was found in the Sahara Desert in 2023, and Niger is pretty livid and asking how it left the country. Can it get it back?

A Martian scandal: Niger wants the $5million Mars rock, biggest  ever seen on Earth, back. What do the laws say?

A space rock fetched a whopping $4.3 million at an auction&nbsp;in New York on Wednesday. The rock pulled in the amount as it was the largest meteorite from Mars ever found on Earth. The meteorite, called NWA 16788, weighed 24.5 kg and was 38.1 inches long, said Sotheby's, a major auction house. The rock was found in Africa's Niger in November 2023. It was 70 per cent larger than the biggest piece of Mars ever discovered on Earth, the auction house claimed.&nbsp;Meteorites fall on Earth after an asteroid or comet passes through the planet's atmosphere. These rocks are extremely rare to find.&nbsp;The meteorite, a reddish brown rock, was "unbelievably rare" to find, Sotheby said, adding only 400 such rocks from Mars had ever been discovered on Earth.&nbsp;Cassandra Hatton, vice-chairman of science and natural history at Sotheby's, said in a video on the internet that the largest piece of Mars on Earth was rare. She described the odds of getting the rock on Earth as "astronomically small".&nbsp;This is also because 70 percent of Earth's surface is covered in water. Such rocks often fall into water, completely lost to humanity. "So we're incredibly lucky that this landed on dry land instead of the middle of the ocean," she added.&nbsp;With taxes, the total price of the rock was $5.3 million. It is not known who bought the rock and why.&nbsp;Such rocks fetch good prices because they are extremely rare to find. They can be used for research or kept in private collections.&nbsp;Wednesday's auction featured over 100 items, including a skeleton of a dinosaur from the late Jurassic period, which sold for $26 million. A skill of another dinosaur was auctioned off at a whopping $1.4 million.

A space rock fetched a whopping $4.3 million at an auction in New York on Wednesday. The rock pulled in the amount as it was the largest meteorite from Mars ever found on Earth. The meteorite, called NWA 16788, weighed 24.5 kg and was 38.1 inches long, said Sotheby's, a major auction house.

A space rock fetched a whopping $4.3 million at an auction in New York on Wednesday. The rock pulled in the amount as it was the largest meteorite from Mars ever found on Earth. The meteorite, called NWA 16788, weighed 24.5 kg and was 38.1 inches long, said Sotheby's, a major auction house. The rock was found in Africa's Niger in November 2023. It was 70 per cent larger than the biggest piece of Mars ever discovered on Earth, the auction house claimed. Meteorites fall on Earth after an asteroid or comet passes through the planet's atmosphere. These rocks are extremely rare to find. The meteorite, a reddish brown rock, was "unbelievably rare" to find, Sotheby said, adding only 400 such rocks from Mars had ever been discovered on Earth. Cassandra Hatton, vice-chairman of science and natural history at Sotheby's, said in a video on the internet that the largest piece of Mars on Earth was rare. She described the odds of getting the rock on Earth as "astronomically small". This is also because 70 percent of Earth's surface is covered in water. Such rocks often fall into water, completely lost to humanity. "So we're incredibly lucky that this landed on dry land instead of the middle of the ocean," she added. With taxes, the total price of the rock was $5.3 million. It is not known who bought the rock and why. Such rocks fetch good prices because they are extremely rare to find. They can be used for research or kept in private collections. Wednesday's auction featured over 100 items, including a skeleton of a dinosaur from the late Jurassic period, which sold for $26 million. A skill of another dinosaur was auctioned off at a whopping $1.4 million.

With taxes, the total price of the rock was $5.3 million. It is not known who bought the rock and why.

This rock was sold for $4.3 million at a New York auction. Why was it so expensive?

A rare Martian meteorite, weighing over 25 kilograms, is set to go under the hammer at Sotheby’s in New York on 16 July. Known as NWA 16788, this 54-pound fragment is the largest-known piece of Mars ever found on Earth. Estimated to fetch between $2 million and $4 million, bidding has already reached $1.6 million nearly a week before the auction.According to Sotheby’s, the meteorite was ejected from the Martian surface by a massive asteroid strike before embarking on a 140 million-mile journey through space. It eventually landed in Niger’s remote Agadez Region in November 2023, discovered by a meteorite hunter. Measuring nearly 15 inches by 11 inches by 6 inches, it is about 70 per cent larger than the next biggest Martian fragment known to exist.&nbsp;<h2>Rarity and scientific value</h2>&nbsp;Martian meteorites are among the rarest objects on Earth, comprising just 0.6 per cent of the roughly 77,000 officially recognised meteorites. Sotheby’s says only around 400 Martian rocks have ever been found, and this single specimen represents nearly 6.5 per cent of all known Martian material on Earth. What makes NWA 16788 especially notable, according to the auction listing, is its state of preservation. The meteorite shows minimal terrestrial weathering, indicating its physical and chemical structure remains largely intact since it fell. “NWA 16788 is likely a relative newcomer here on Earth,” Sotheby’s notes.&nbsp;Scientists value such meteorites for what they reveal about Mars’ geological past. By studying their composition, researchers gain clues about volcanic activity, water presence, and surface conditions on the Red Planet. The specimen will remain on public view at Sotheby’s New York galleries until 15 July.&nbsp;<h2>Debate over private ownership</h2>&nbsp;While collectors are expected to bid aggressively, some scientists have raised concerns that rare specimens could vanish into private collections. Alongside the Martian meteorite, Sotheby’s Natural History auction will also feature dinosaur skeletons, ancient fossils and rare geological formations, drawing global interest from museums and private collectors alike.&nbsp;

Martian meteorites are among the rarest objects on Earth, comprising just 0.6 per cent of the roughly 77,000 officially recognised meteorites. 

A rare Martian meteorite, weighing over 25 kilograms, is set to go under the hammer at Sotheby’s in New York on 16 July. Known as NWA 16788, this 54-pound fragment is the largest-known piece of Mars ever found on Earth. Estimated to fetch between $2 million and $4 million, bidding has already reached $1.6 million nearly a week before the auction. According to Sotheby’s, the meteorite was ejected from the Martian surface by a massive asteroid strike before embarking on a 140 million-mile journey through space. It eventually landed in Niger’s remote Agadez Region in November 2023, discovered by a meteorite hunter. Measuring nearly 15 inches by 11 inches by 6 inches, it is about 70 per cent larger than the next biggest Martian fragment known to exist. Rarity and scientific value Martian meteorites are among the rarest objects on Earth, comprising just 0.6 per cent of the roughly 77,000 officially recognised meteorites. Sotheby’s says only around 400 Martian rocks have ever been found, and this single specimen represents nearly 6.5 per cent of all known Martian material on Earth. What makes NWA 16788 especially notable, according to the auction listing, is its state of preservation. The meteorite shows minimal terrestrial weathering, indicating its physical and chemical structure remains largely intact since it fell. “NWA 16788 is likely a relative newcomer here on Earth,” Sotheby’s notes. Scientists value such meteorites for what they reveal about Mars’ geological past. By studying their composition, researchers gain clues about volcanic activity, water presence, and surface conditions on the Red Planet. The specimen will remain on public view at Sotheby’s New York galleries until 15 July. Debate over private ownership While collectors are expected to bid aggressively, some scientists have raised concerns that rare specimens could vanish into private collections. Alongside the Martian meteorite, Sotheby’s Natural History auction will also feature dinosaur skeletons, ancient fossils and rare geological formations, drawing global interest from museums and private collectors alike.

Martian meteorites are among the rarest objects on Earth, comprising just 0.6 per cent of the roughly 77,000 officially recognised meteorites.&nbsp;

Martian giant: Earth’s largest piece of Mars heads to auction in New York

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A Martian scandal: Niger wants the $5million Mars rock, biggest ever seen on Earth, back. What do the laws say?

This rock was sold for $4.3 million at an auction. Why was it so expensive?

Martian giant: Earth’s largest piece of Mars heads to auction in New York