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NWA 7034, nicknamed “Black Beauty,” could shed light on the Red Planet’s past. (UNM)
A discovery of Martain meteorite on Earth is being called by researchers “a once in a lifetime discovery.”
The “Black Beauty” is nearly 320 grams in weight and was found in the Saharan desert in 2011. After intensive stdy, a team of researchers say the meteorite formed 2.1 billion years ago.
Furthermore, the rock contains more water than any other Martian meteorite.
“This meteorite is unlike anything I’ve ever seen before,” said Carl Agee, dierctor and curator at University of New Mexico’s Institute of Meteoritics, in a statement. “It’s a completely new type of Martian meteorite. It has everything in its composition that you’d want in order to further our understanding of the Red Planet. This unique Martian meteorite tells us what volcanism was like 2 billion years ago, but it also gives us a glimpse of ancient surface and environmental conditions on Mars that no other meteorite has offered.”
The meteorite is believed to have come to earth via another planet.
Several other meteorites discovered previously are thought to possibly have come from Mars. But after study some are uncertain. Meanwhile, the “Black Beauty” is definitely from Mars, say the researchers.
“For me personally, this is a once in a career discovery. You try to do high quality science, you do good work, persevere, but once in a while, you just get lucky.” said Agee.
After the rock somehow became dislodged from Mars it took more than two billion years to come to Earth, but the researchers aren’t sure how that process happened.
“Perhaps most exciting, is that the high water content could mean there was an interaction of the rocks with surface water either from volcanic magma, or from fluids from impacting comets during that time,” said Andrew Steele of the Carnegie Institution. “It is the richest Martian meteorite geochemically and further analyses are bound to unleash more surprises.”
The surface of Mars, and the place where NASA recently landed a exploration craft. (NASA)