The largest Martian meteorite, sold at Sotheby's auction in New York for a record $5.3 million, has sparked controversy over the legality of its export and ownership of celestial stones. The government of Niger has launched an investigation and suspended the export of similar meteorites. This is reported by Sciencealert, writes UNN.
Details
The 25 kg meteorite, found in November 2023 in the Sahara, is the largest Martian sample ever discovered on Earth. Sotheby's claims that the stone was exported in accordance with international norms, but the authorities of Niger suspect illegal trade in the precious mineral and have already suspended all meteorite shipments until further notice.
American paleontologist Paul Sereno, who has collaborated with Nigerian authorities for years, called the sale illegal and emphasized that the right to the meteorite belongs to the country where it fell.
If the meteorite had fallen on private land in the US, the owners could claim it. But it fell in Niger – and that should be respected
Experts point out that laws regarding meteorites vary depending on the place of fall. In the US, the owner of private land has the right to the stone, while in Niger, meteorites are considered part of the national cultural heritage and are protected by law.
French specialists Mathieu and Max Gounelle confirm that this sample should be classified as a rare mineralogical object subject to protection.
The sale of the meteorite also raises ethical questions for science: such samples are of important value for research and should not become the subject of private commerce. Now the case is under consideration, and the world is waiting to see if the legality of the record deal will be established.
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