Moroccan Meteorites Came from Mars

Summertime meteorite shower was the solar system's equivalent of throwing garbage on your neighbour's lawn.

An analysis of meteorites that smacked into Earth in Morocco last July suggests they came from Mars. According to the Meteoritical Society, several meteorities, weighing a total of seven kilograms, landed in a desert in southeastern Morocco near the city of Tata early in the morning of July 18. Just now, though, have the origins of the space rocks been determined, with scientists confirming that this was the first instance of meteorites from Mars hitting Earth in more than 50 years, and only the fifth time in recorded history. The Meteoritical Society was able to determine their origins via chemical analysis of the rocks, which showed the rocks' make-up to be consistent with what we know about the Martian atmosphere. How the rocks ended up here is still a bit of a mystery, although one theory suggests that a collision between Mars and an asteroid or other space-bound body millions of years ago sent chunks of the red planet flying through the solar system, some of which occasionally crash into Earth. And, according to CBC, these Martian meteorites can fetch quite a pretty penny on the open market, owing to the fact they're just about the rarest mineral on the planet. One retailer says an ounce of Martian rock can earn him between $11,000 and $23,000.