Martian Meteorite and Dinosaur Skeleton Shatter Records at Sotheby’s Auction

Auction house Sotheby’s in New York has sold the largest known Martian meteorite and a rare dinosaur skeleton for record-breaking sums. The event captured the attention of collectors and science enthusiasts worldwide, as reported by WHIO TV7. The Martian meteorite, officially labeled NWA 16788, weighs 25 kilograms and was discovered in the Sahara Desert. It sold for $5.3 million (approximately 413 million rubles), setting a new record for meteorite auctions. This particular specimen is now considered the largest piece of Mars ever recovered on Earth. “This is the largest fragment of Mars on Earth — it's 70 percent larger than the previous record-holder,” said Cassandra Hatton, Vice President of Sotheby’s. Another highlight of the auction was the sale of a nearly complete skeleton of a young ceratosaurus, one of only four known specimens in the world. The fossil ignited intense bidding and was ultimately sold for a staggering $30.5 million (about 2.6 billion rubles).