#meteorite

#meteorite

For generations a massive iron meteorite sat in the Somali desert, becoming a landmark where children played and herders sharpened their knives. Then in 2020 a group of armed men arrived to steal it. The El Ali meteorite contains three minerals never before seen naturally on Earth, making it scientifically priceless. But its journey from Somalia to the black market, with some research along the way, raises uncomfortable questions.

Millennia ago a piece of the sky fell toward East Africa, streaking overhead, born of an ancient collision of asteroids. The meteorite landed, probably with more of a thud than a boom, in a river valley where camels now forage near the village of El Ali in Somalia. Known locally as Shiid-birood (the iron rock), the El Ali meteorite is 13.6 metric tons of iron and nickel.

The reports began with a man identifying himself as Kin, who says he discovered a small, silver-colored space rock in a fiery crater in Panama's Pedregal district on August 29. Since then, Kin has shared a series of videos on TikTok showing what he described as the meteorite burning leaves on contact and a fungus-like organism sprouting from its surface.

From a distance, animal poo looks a lot like a meteorite, especially when it's fresh.

"At the end of the day, it's the bidders who tell us what things are worth, not me, not anyone else. The estimates are just there to give people an indication," said Cassandra Hatton, emphasizing the unpredictable nature of auction pricing.