There are a few ways you could get your hands on Martian soil. Wait until we develop space travel enough to bring back samples, then steal those, for one. Or wait until we develop it even further and become the first Martian tourist. But let’s face it, that’s not happening anytime soon. Until then, it turns out there’s already some Martian rock right here one Earth, and you can buy some. How? Like this: when a meteorite hits the red planet, a lot of rock is ejected into the atmosphere. A small amount escapes the planet’s gravitational pull and an even smaller amount still ends up as a meteorite right here on Earth. Martian soil, right here on our blue pebble. The specimen you see above is Martian shergottite, NWA 4930, recovered in the Sahara desert. It’s been examined and certified to come from the same place where the Curiosity rover is currently digging some holes. $25 will buy you… a 2mg speck. But hey, how much do you actually need?
It’s packaged in a protective shell with a card describing its history, and is being sold by ThinkGeek, so we don’t doubt its authenticity.
[ Product Page ]
