The origin of the Moroccan “Black Beauty” Mars meteorite is known

The exact origin of the 320-gram Martian rock “Black Beauty” (or NWA 7034), the oldest piece on Mars dating to date (4.48 billion years old), was discovered in Morocco in 2011, near Bir Anzaran, an oasis in the desert. An international team led by Curtin University, which published its findings in the journal Nature Communications, has identified the Karatha crater as the site of the impact, according to reports. Science et Avenir.

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To reach this conclusion, the scientists used two tools: an artificial intelligence algorithm and the fastest supercomputer in the Southern Hemisphere at the Pawsey Supercomputing Center in Perth, Australia. In less than 24 hours, more than 90 million archaeological craters have been drawn on the surface of the Red Planet.

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“For the first time, we know the geological context of a lone Martian shell and its impact crater on Earth. It’s been 10 years since NASA’s Mars Sample Return mission brought back samples taken by the persistent probe currently exploring the Jezero crater, Anthony Laggin, research leader said in a press release.