NASA described newly published research October 29 identifying a Martian meteorite as a rare record of the planet’s ancient crust and interactions with water.
The 800-gram rock, named Teghaza 001, was found in Mali’s Sahara Desert in 2022. The discovery date is separate from Thursday’s scientific report.
According to NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, mineral dating indicates that water altered the rock about 4.1 billion years ago, meaning it formed earlier. The agency identifies it as one of the oldest Martian meteorites found on Earth.
A paper published Thursday in Science characterizes the rock’s minerals and chemistry. A separate study in Science Advances in June examined its water content.
Researchers studied zircon crystals and used a rubidium-strontium dating method that examines individual mineral grains, preserving more of the rare sample than techniques that dissolve it.
The rock’s mineralogy resembles observations of Mars’ southern highlands. Scientists identified possible source locations, but its exact birthplace remains unknown.
The findings concern ancient rocks and water; the announcement does not report evidence of life on Mars.
Sources: NASA/JPL — October 29 Research Announcement: https://www.nasa.gov/solar-system/planets/mars/nasa-funded-study-details-one-of-oldest-mars-meteorites-ever-found/