From WIRED · Jorge Garay · · 1m 20s
Ancient Mars rock found in Sahara reveals watery past
A meteorite discovered in the Sahara Desert shows that Mars had water-rock interactions billions of years ago, offering clues to the planet's transformation.
In brief
A meteorite discovered in the Sahara Desert shows that Mars had water-rock interactions billions of years ago, offering clues to the planet's transformation. A two-pound Martian meteorite found in the Sahara in 2022 contains chemical evidence of water interacting with Mars' crust 4.1 billion years ago, revealing the…
Two-pound rock from Mars lands in Sahara
In 2022, a fragment weighing about two pounds was found in the Sahara Desert. Scientists determined it came from Mars' crust, likely ejected by an impact and reaching Earth after flying through space.
Meteorite is 4.1 billion years old
The rock, named Teghaza 001, is one of the oldest known samples from Mars, estimated to be at least 4.1 billion years old.
Tiny crystals reveal water-rock interaction
Tiny crystals of a mineral called apatite preserve signatures of hydrogen from two sources: Mars' interior and its ancient hydrosphere. The meteorite contains material altered by a water-rich environment, showing water once existed on Mars.
Rosetta Stone for understanding Mars
Yang Liu of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory called Teghaza 001 a Rosetta Stone for Mars.
“One of the paper's reviewers called it a Rosetta Stone for Mars.”
Clues to Mars' transformation remain mysterious
Today Mars is cold and barren, but evidence suggests it once had rivers, lakes and possibly large bodies of water.
In short
A two-pound Martian meteorite found in the Sahara in 2022 contains chemical evidence of water interacting with Mars' crust 4.1 billion years ago, revealing the planet's once-habitable conditions.
