Meteorite found in Sahara Desert is chunk of the crust of Mars dating back over 4.1 billion years

NASA-funded scientists say a meteorite found in Mali’s Sahara Desert in 2022 is an ancient fragment of Mars’ crust. Named Teghaza 001, the rock is over 4.1 billion years old, and NASA called it one of the oldest Martian meteorites discovered on Earth. The findings were published Thursday in the journal Science. Martian meteorites are often younger; older examples include ALH84001 and “Black Beauty.” Teghaza 001 differs by being made of volcanic minerals and matching geological features of Mars’ southern highlands. Authors Lee Saper and Yang Liu said the oxygen-18 signature and mineral makeup point to active water circulation through the crust during its formation.