In 2023, a part of a rare Mars meteorite found in the Sahara Desert in Niger was sold at Sotheby’s auction in New York for $4.3 million. This meteorite is considered the largest piece of Mars ever found on Earth. However, the Niger government suspects it was exported illegally.
Sotheby’s auction house states that all documents were in order and the meteorite was legally exported from Niger. But the Niger government has launched an investigation to find out how the meteorite left the country and who sold it.
The scientific team and gallery owners involved in the meteorite’s study examined it in Italy before it was displayed in New York. However, most of the meteorite remains outside Niger, causing dissatisfaction in the country.
Prof. Paul Sereno, a scholar protecting Niger’s cultural and natural heritage, emphasizes that such unique objects should be kept in the country. He also notes that international laws should protect meteorites as part of cultural heritage.
This case highlights ongoing issues in meteorite trade and natural resource protection in Niger and other African countries. The Niger government and international community call for stricter laws regarding meteorites.
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