Martian Rock Sells for Millions

Posted on by onespaceman2000
Image (Credit): Mars rock NWA 16788. (Sotheby’s)

NASA may face problems getting Martian rocks back to Earth, but the rocks that already made it this far are being sold to the highest bidder.

Earlier this week a rock from Mars sold for $5.3 million at a Sotheby’s New York auction. Officially named NWA 16788, the meteorite weighs 54 pounds. Located in the Sahara Desert in 2023, it is believed to have traveled to Earth after being blasted off the Martian surface by an incoming asteroid.

So who bought it? That information has not been shared, but if Elon Musk bought it I would consider that cheating. He needs to get to Mars on his own and fulfill his destiny (while giving the rest of us a break).