The world’s largest Martian meteorite ever found on Earth a 54-pound (25 kg) space rock discovered in Niger’s Sahara Desert in November 2023 has ignited global controversy after fetching a record $5.3 million at Sotheby’s in New York. Named NWA 16788, the meteorite’s sale has raised legal and ethical questions, as Niger’s government investigates possible illegal trafficking and has suspended meteorite and gemstone exports. While Sotheby’s maintains it was legally exported, scientists warn that such rare planetary treasures hold immense research value, offering vital clues to Mars’ geological history and may be too important to be locked away in private collections.