[Rockhounds] How a Martian Meteorite Found in a Drawer Rewrites Mars’ Water History

[Kreigh Tomaszewski]

*Scientists have traced the origins of the Lafayette Meteorite back
to Mars, dating its water-altered minerals to 742 million years ago.*

*The findings suggest that the meteorite’s interaction with water came from
melting subsurface permafrost rather than surface water, providing crucial
insights into Martian geologic activity and its potential for harboring
conditions favorable to life.*
>From Mars to Earth: The Journey of the Lafayette Meteorite

Eleven million years ago, an asteroid struck Mars, blasting fragments of
the planet into space. One of these fragments eventually made its way to
Earth, landing near what is now Purdue University. This rare Martian
meteorite, later named the Lafayette Meteorite, was rediscovered in a
Purdue drawer in 1931.

Initial studies revealed that the Lafayette Meteorite had once interacted
with liquid water while still on Mars, sparking questions about when this
interaction occurred. Recently, an international team of scientists,
including two from Purdue University’s College of Science, successfully
determined the age of the water-altered minerals within the meteorite.
Their findings, now published in *Geochemical Perspective Letters*, provide
critical insights into Mars’ watery past.

https://scitechdaily.com/how-a-martian-meteorite-found-in-a-drawer-rewrites-mars-water-history/