Why Are Meteorites So Expensive?

from National Public Radio

Some pricey chunks of space rock are among the objects for sale at a Dallas auction house this weekend.

The Garza Stone, a 5-pound piece of a meteorite that famously crashed through the roof of a house in Park Forest, Ill., in 2003, is expected to fetch more than $55,000.

"Meteorites are more than just rocks," says David Herskowitz, director of the natural history section at Heritage Auctions. "They hold the key to life on this planet."

Broadcast Dates

• All Things Considered, May 12, 2009