NASA-funded Study Details One of Oldest Mars Meteorites Ever Found
When a rose-colored meteorite was found in the Sahara Desert in 2022, no one knew how old it was or where it came from. Not until NASA-funded scientists age-dated its minerals did they realize the nearly 2-pound (800-gram) rock was a piece of Mars that formed more than 4.1 billion years ago, making it one […] The post NASA-funded Study Details One of Oldest Mars Meteorites Ever Found appeared…
NASA scientists have determined that a rose-colored meteorite discovered in the Sahara Desert in 2022 is one of the oldest Martian meteorites ever found on Earth. Named Teghaza 001 after the salt plain in Mali where it was found, the nearly 2-pound (800-gram) rock formed over 4.1 billion years ago, providing a rare snapshot of Mars' ancient crust and formation process.
This unique meteorite, one of roughly 435 known Martian meteorites, contains a mix of igneous minerals that tell a story about how the planet's crust formed from cooling magma before being altered by subsurface water. Unlike other ancient Martian meteorites such as ALH84001 and Black Beauty, Teghaza 001 has a more diverse range of minerals, making it a Rosetta Stone for Mars, as described by one of the paper's reviewers.
The meteorite's distinctive mineralogy matches observations made by NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter in the planet's cratered southern highlands. While the exact origin of Teghaza 001 on Mars remains unknown, researchers identified several potential locations that match its mineral and chemical composition. Studying this meteorite could help answer questions about how water and rocks interacted on ancient Mars.
Written by urgent.news from NASA Science's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
This story
This is one outlet's version. Read the fullest account.
