Martian meteorite in ASU collection

KNAU Arizona Public Radio/NPR in Flagstaff recently interviewed Meenakshi Wadhwa, director of the Center for Meteorite Studies at Arizona State University, about the rare martian meteorite ASU acquired. Arizona Public Radio's Gillian Ferris Kohl spoke with Wadhwa about the significance of this meteorite, found in Morocco this past summer, and ASU's collection.

The center’s newly acquired sample – named “Tissint” – is a significant meteorite, as it is only the fifth known Mars meteorite fall. The center holds small research and display pieces of each of the known Martian falls and also has six Martian finds in its collection.

Consisting of specimens from about 1,700 separate meteorite falls and finds, meteorites in the center’s collection represent samples collected from every part of the world. Most meteorites found on Earth come from the asteroid belt, but some from the Moon and Mars exist as well. These rare samples constitute a small but important part of the center’s collection.