Teghaza 001: 4.1-billion-year-old Martian meteorite identified

NASA-funded scientists age-dated the rose-colored meteorite Teghaza 001 found in the Sahara Desert in 2022, determining it formed more than 4.1 billion years ago, making it one of the oldest known Martian meteorites. Its igneous minerals and chemistry match orbital data from Mars' southern highlands, offering a rare sample of ancient Martian crust.

Why it matters. This meteorite provides the first direct physical sample of Mars' early crust from a region never before sampled, enabling new study of how water and rock interacted on ancient Mars and helping contextualize orbital observations.