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Martian Meteorite Sells for $5.3 Million at Sotheby's

7/23/2025

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Summary

Story summary

In a groundbreaking auction at Sotheby's, the NWA 16788 meteorite, weighing 24.5 kilograms and hailing from Mars, fetched an astonishing $5.3 million. Discovered in Niger, this colossal rock traveled 140 million miles to reach Earth, igniting fierce discussions about the ethics and legality of meteorite exports from developing nations.

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Story summary

In a groundbreaking auction at Sotheby's, the NWA 16788 meteorite, weighing 24.5 kilograms and hailing from Mars, fetched an astonishing $5.3 million. Discovered in Niger, this colossal rock traveled 140 million miles to reach Earth, igniting fierce discussions about the ethics and legality of meteorite exports from developing nations.