Meteorite found in Sahara turns out to be 4.1 bn year old piece of Mars
Scientists have identified a 4.1 billion-year-old meteorite found in the Sahara as a rare piece of Mars. The rock, named Teghaza 001, provides a unique look at the early Martian mantle and crust, offering evidence of water on the planet billions of years ago.
Why it matters
This discovery acts as a time machine for planetary science, helping researchers understand the early evolution and water history of Mars.
By Kenneth Chang Reddish rocks found in the Sahara four years ago turned out to be older than almost anything on Earth. In fact, they are not of this world: They are pieces of Mars dating back 4.1 billion years. Scientists described the meteorite fragments in a paper published on Thursday in the journal Science. Together they make up a space rock named Teghaza 001, after an ancient, abandoned salt-mining settlement in Mali close to where the fragments were found. "It's very rare to find something this old," said Yang Liu, a planetary scientist at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California and the lead author of the Science paper. Of the more than 400 Martian meteorites that have been found, only two, Allan Hills 84001 and Northwest Africa 7034, which is often called "Black Beauty," rival Teghaza 001 in age. For scientists, Teghaza 001 serves as a time machine.
Also covering this story
3 other newsrooms covered this event. We read each version separately.
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