15 publishers · first seen Thu, 29 Oct 2026 18:00 UTC · updated Wed, 04 Nov 2026 15:22 UTC
A Martian meteorite named Teghaza 001, discovered in the Sahara Desert in 2022, has been found to be at least 4.1 billion years old, making it one of the oldest known Martian meteorites. Researchers led by Yang Liu of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory analyzed zircon crystals and other minerals in the 800-gram rock, using uranium-lead and rubidium-strontium dating methods, which consistently indicated its ancient age. Unlike most Martian meteorites, which are younger than 2.4 billion years and belong to the shergottite, nakhlite, or chassignite groups, Teghaza 001 is a slowly cooled igneous rock with a unique composition and mineralogy.
The meteorite's oxygen-18 levels and mineral alterations suggest it interacted with water early in Mars' history, indicating active water circulation in the planet's crust. Its chemical makeup matches regions in Mars' southern highlands, and scientists have identified 13 possible source locations using data from NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. Teghaza 001 provides new insights into the early geological and hydrological conditions of Mars, complementing findings from other ancient meteorites like Black Beauty and Allan Hills 84001.
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