Scientists have what they say is one of the oldest Mars meteorites

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1. 2h ago

   Scientists identify 4.1-billion-year-old Martian meteorite Teghaza 001

   Geologists have identified a rose-colored meteorite found in the Sahara Desert as a piece of Mars dating back 4.1 billion years. Named Teghaza 001, the specimen is one of the oldest Martian meteorites ever discovered on Earth. NASA-funded research indicates the rock is an intact slab of the planet's ancient crust from a region previously unsampled by landers. Scientists are analyzing the specimen to determine when Mars was Earth-like and have identified 13 possible points of origin on the red planet.

   Why it matters

   The discovery provides a rare physical sample of the Martian crust from the early solar system. Because it comes from an area no robotic mission has reached, it offers unique geological data. Researchers view the rock as a Rosetta Stone for understanding ancient Mars.

   What is confirmed

   • The Teghaza 001 meteorite was found in the Sahara Desert.
   • The meteorite is 4.1 billion years old.
   • NASA identifies the specimen as one of the oldest Mars meteorites ever discovered on Earth.
   • The rock is rose-colored.

   Still unconfirmed

   • NASA has identified 13 possible origins on Mars for the meteorite.
   • The rock is an intact slab of Mars's ancient crust from a region no lander has sampled.

   What to watch next

   • Confirmation of the specific origin site on Mars
   • Peer-reviewed results regarding when Mars was Earth-like
   Sources used for this update (13)

   1. mashable.com — This Martian meteorite just got dubbed a 'Rosetta Stone.' Here's why.
   2. The New York Times — A Meteorite Found in the Sahara Is a 4.1-Billion-Year-Old Piece of Mars
   3. Reuters — Martian meteorite found in the Sahara is 4.1 billion years old
   4. NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) (.gov) — Slice of Martian Meteorite Teghaza 001
   5. The Washington Post — Scientists have what they say is one of the oldest Mars meteorites
   6. CBS News — Rose-colored meteorite found in the Sahara Desert turns out to be 4.1 billion-year-old piece of Mars
   7. NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) (.gov) — NASA-funded Study Details One of Oldest Mars Meteorites Ever Found
   8. www.educationtimes.com — NASA identifies 13 possible origins on Mars for a 4.1-billion-year-old meteorite found in the Sahara - The Times of India
   9. dnyuz.com — Scientists have what they say is one of the oldest Mars ...
   10. economictimes.indiatimes.com — Pink rock found in Sahara turns out to be 4.1-billion-year ...
   11. economictimes.indiatimes.com — ‘Never found one like this before’: Scientists examine 4.1 ...
   12. www.bbc.co.uk — Ancient meteorite from Mars found to be four billion years old - BBC Newsround
   confidence 95%