A Martian meteorite found in Mali in 2022 preserves evidence of water interacting with the planet’s ancient crust, according to a study published in Science on October 29. NASA said the rock, Teghaza 001, formed at least 4.1 billion years ago. The work led by Yang Liu of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory provides a rare laboratory sample of early Mars, but does not establish that life existed there.
The roughly 800-gram meteorite belongs to the Maine Mineral & Gem Museum’s collection. The museum said its composition, minerals and texture differ from other known Martian meteorites. Many available samples are much younger than the ancient rocks covering much of Mars, so this specimen helps researchers examine an early chapter poorly represented in collections on Earth.
According to the University of New Mexico, researchers examined oxygen isotopes and unusual minerals before collaborating with colleagues at NASA and other institutions. Tiny zircon crystals helped establish its age. NASA also described a rubidium-strontium dating technique that analyzes individual mineral grains on a fragment smaller than a fingernail, preserving the rare material for further research.
NASA said the measurements indicate that water altered the rock around 4.1 billion years ago, meaning it formed earlier. Its oxygen isotopes, texture and chemistry preserve clues to an ancient water cycle. This October study follows a separate Science Advances paper in June on the meteorite’s water content. Evidence of water-rock reactions helps assess possible habitable conditions; it is not a detection of organisms.
The rock’s minerals resemble observations of Mars’ southern highlands, NASA reported, although its precise birthplace remains unknown. An impact ejected it into space before it eventually reached Earth. Further analysis could clarify how the ancient crust formed and changed through contact with fluids. The researchers see the specimen as a starting point for additional studies, rather than a complete account of early Mars.
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