Ancient Martian meteorite Teghaza 001 described in new Science paper
Scientists have published an initial description of the Martian meteorite Teghaza 001’s ancient crust in Science. The rock formed in the Martian crust at least 4.1 billion years ago, placing it among the oldest of roughly 435 known Martian meteorites. It was recovered in eight fragments near the Malian village of Bir Chali after its 2022 discovery in the Sahara, the largest piece about fist‑size. Analyses reveal a coarse‑grained gabbro with feldspar, pyroxene, uranium‑bearing zircon and elevated manganese oxide, indicating water interaction. Yang Liu of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory calls the meteorite a witness to a warmer, wetter early Mars.
Key facts
- The meteorite was found in eight pieces, the biggest roughly the size of a fist, about 34 km from Bir Chali, Mali.
- It is a coarse‑grained gabbro that interacted with water while cooling underground on Mars.
- The sample contains high manganese oxide, a compound often produced by microbial activity.
- Teghaza 001 joins ALH84001 and Black Beauty as one of three oldest Martian meteorites on Earth.
- A separate study in Science Advances in June reported the meteorite’s water content.
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Why it matters
Understanding early Martian conditions informs the planet’s habitability history.
What changed
First published from CNA, NASA and Phys.org