Niger’s anger was over a portion of Mars at auction

“Brazen! It’s brazen!” Prof Paul Serenus says down the Chicago telephone line.

It does not make an effort to anger a strange meteorite of Mars Mars Two years ago, a strange meteorite that was discovered in Niger’s Niger, in New York’s auction, last month, an unnamed buyer.

He thinks that paleontologists with a close connection with the town should return to Niger.

This millions of red planet is the largest that ever found on earth, $ 4.3 million (£ 3.2 million) in Sotheby. As a buyer, the seller kept anonymous.

But there is no clear money if he went to Niger.

Parts of extraterrestrial materials that have made the Earth have had a long inspiration among humans. Some end up as religious objects, as otherwise displayed as a curiosity. Recently, many of the scientific study has become a lot.

Compared to the market of meteorites in the art market, it has aesthetics and aesthetics that affect aesthetics and price.

Initially, it has been a sensation of the extra public demonstration found in extraordinary Martia. Less than 400 of the 50,000 meteorites found that our neighbor is planned.

Sotheby’s photos made of 24.7 kg (54lb) rock – appears in light and red glow – he composed this feeling.

But then some people began asking how it ended under the auction hammer.

Niger itself is not at least In a statement“He stated doubts about the legality of his export, increase concerns about possible international traffic”.

Sotheby discusses a lot, following the correct procedures, but Niger has researched a study on the current meteorite and the state of sale, NWA 16788 (NWA North-West African African nwa).

Little publicly has been publicly given how it ended in a U.S. auction house.

– Italian academic article On November 16, 2023, published last year, found in the western 90 km (56 mile) Chirfa Oasi, “A meteorite hunter”, who expressed personality. “

Meteorites can fall anywhere on the ground, but due to the climate in favor of conservation and human beal disturbance, Sahara has supported the discovery. It explores the inanimate landscape that people stretch through many countries with hope to sell.

According to the Italian article NWA 16788, “Local Community sold him to an international vendor,” and then led to a private gallery in the Italian city of Arzzo.

The University of Florence has described the University of the magazine “An important Owner of Italy”.

A group of scientists led by Giovanni Pratesi, the University Mineralogy teacher, was able to find out about its structure and where it comes. The meteorite last year last year in Italy, including the Italian Space Agency in Rome.

Next time he was seen in New York’s public, two slices in Italy, for more research.

Sotheby said that NWA 16788 “was exported from Niger and transported along with all important international procedures.

“As with everything we sell, all important documentation were at each stage of his journey, according to the best practice and requirements of the participating countries.”

A spokesperson attached Sotheby to inform Niger that he was investigating the meteorite export and “we are reviewing information at our disposal”.

The sereno profile created the Niger Heritage Profile ago, a decade ago, the law of Nigeria broke.

Those who study with the University of Chicago, who has found extensive deposits of dinosaurs in countries in Sahara, the campaigns for the cultural heritage of Niger, including any thing that fell from the external space – is returned.

Nigeria is a wonderful island in the Niger River that crosses the capital, Niamey is planning to store these artifacts.

“International law cannot take something important to the country’s heritage. Be a cultural element, physical element, natural element, when all the time was well,” Serenus said.

The set of global agreements, according to UNESCO’s Cultural Institute, has tried to regulate trade in these objects. But, According to the 2019 study International Law Expert Max Gounelle, while the meteorites could be included, whether they cover these agreements. The position remains to the individual states.

Niger accepted his law in 1997 to protect its heritage.

Sereno profiles include a detailed list of all the categories included. “Mineralogical copies” are referred to between works of art, architectural and archaeological discoveries, but meteorites are not specifically named.

In the expression of Sotheby’s sale, Niger accepted that “he has not yet a specific structural legislation” – auction house also emphasized a line. But there is no light that someone was able to achieve a heavy and outstanding artifact outside the country without attractiveness.

Morocco has had a similar subject with a large number of meteorites – found more than 1,000: including part of the Sahara.

More than two decades ago, the country described Helen Gordon as “Saharan Gold Hurry”, Laxer regulations and a more stable political environment than some surrounding residents.

In the last book of meteorites, Morocco wrote Morocco to “one of the largest exports of space rocks.”

Prof Dasnaa Chennaoui Aologjehan has spent the last 25 years trying to maintain some of these extraterrestrial materials.

“It’s a part of our heritage … It’s part of our identity and is important to be proud of the riches of the country,” the geologist says BBC.

The teacher is not against the trade of meteorites, but it has been a tool for implementing measures to regulate the company. New rules are not completely successful in preventing the flow of meteorites.

In 2011, he was responsible for Chennaoui’s Professor Mars, gathering material from the fall of a meteorite in the desert.

He then appointed the Tissint meteorite, weighed 7 kg in everything, but now only 30g remain in Morocco. The rest is in museums around the world, the largest piece visible in the Museum of the London Natural History.

Around Niger’s Martia Meteorito fate, it is not surprised that “I’m something that I am 25 years old” is mercy, we can’t be happy with that, but in all our countries is the same situation. “

Sereno hopes that Sotheby’s sale is the cutting-edge.