Biggest piece of Mars on Earth going up for auction in New York
New York, Jul 13: Sotheby’s in New York is set to auction NWA 16788, the largest piece of Mars ever found on Earth. The 54-pound rock, believed to have been blown off the surface of Mars by a massive asteroid strike, is estimated to be worth $2 million to $4 million. It was discovered in Niger in November 2023 and is about 70% larger than the next largest piece of Mars found on Earth. The meteorite, which measures nearly 15 inches by 11 inches by 6 inches, represents nearly 7% of all Martian material currently on Earth.
The meteorite was confirmed by a specialized lab that found it to be an “olivine-microgabbroic shergottite,” a type of Martian rock formed from the slow cooling of Martian magma. It has a course-grained texture and contains the minerals pyroxene and olivine. It also has a glassy surface, likely due to the high heat that burned it when it fell through Earth’s atmosphere.
The meteorite was previously on exhibit at the Italian Space Agency in Rome and is believed to have hit Earth around 150 million years ago. The juvenile Ceratosaurus nasicornis skeleton was found in 1996 near Laramie, Wyoming, at Bone Cabin Quarry. Specialists assembled nearly 140 fossil bones with sculpted materials to recreate the skeleton and mounted it for exhibition.
The auction is part of Sotheby’s Geek Week 2025 and features 122 items, including other meteorites, fossils, and gem-quality minerals. The auction is expected to raise an estimated $4 million to $6 million. (AP)
Pope holds mass in parish with Augustinian ties
Castel Gandolfo, Jul 13: During his vacation at Castel Gandolfo, Pope Leo XIV celebrated Mass at St. Thomas of Villanova Church, which holds special spiritual significance to his Augustinian heritage. In his homily, he called for “merciful compassion” for the world’s poor and victims of tyranny and war, drawing on the biblical story of the Good Samaritan.
He emphasized that true faith requires empathy and action toward those suffering. St. Thomas of Villanova, a 16th-century Augustinian saint and patron of Leo’s alma mater Villanova University, represents the pope’s spiritual foundation. Leo plans to return to the Vatican at the end of July before resuming his summer retreat in August. (AP)
Duesseldorf, Germany, on Saturday. (PTI)