Rocks Worth MORE Than Diamonds. What Are They?
David Hoffman David Hoffman
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 Published On Apr 3, 2024

My children, my wife and I got the chance to tour the incredible Jay Walker Library Of Human Imagination. This is a clip. To see the full 22 minute film (great for children) go here -   • Kids Take A Magical Tour Of An Unbeli...  

Mars rocks on Earth are rare and highly valuable, both scientifically and monetarily. These rocks are not collected from the surface of Mars by missions and brought back to Earth (at least not until the present, with NASA and other space agencies planning such missions for the future). Instead they arrive here as meteorites that have been ejected from Mars due to impacts by asteroids or comets and eventually make their way to Earth.

A significant impact event on Mars can eject rocks into space. If these rocks escape Mars' gravitational pull, they can travel through the solar system.

These Martian meteorites enter the Earth's atmosphere. Due to Earth's gravitational attraction, they travel through the atmosphere and land on the surface.

Many Martian meteorites are found in places where they are easy to spot and where Earth rocks are different from meteorites. Antarctica is a prime location for finding meteorites, including those from Mars, because the ice acts as a natural collector where these rocks can accumulate. Desert regions, such as the Sahara, are also common places for the discovery of Martian meteorites, as their dark color often stands out against the sandy background.

The value of Mars rocks can be considered in two ways: their scientific value and their monetary value.
Martian meteorites are of immense scientific importance because they provide the only physical samples of Mars that researchers can study directly. They offer insights into the Martian surface's composition, geological history, and the planet's past potential for life. Studying these rocks helps scientists understand Mars' volcanic activity, weathering processes, and even clues about the presence of water in Mars' past.

Due to their rarity and the fascination with Mars, Martian meteorites are highly sought after by collectors and institutions. The price of a Mars rock can vary widely depending on its size, type, and specific scientific interest. Prices can range from several hundred to thousands of dollars per gram, making them more expensive than gold or diamonds.

I am very fortunate to know serial entrepreneur and inventor Jay Walker. As you will see in the full video, his collection is extraordinarily broad and yet very precise–dinosaurs, space memorabilia, inventions, early Bibles, an original bill of rights.

Jay’s library is a private library located in his home in Ridgefield, Connecticut. The design of the library itself is also unique and dramatic. It is a multi-level facility that combines architectural features such as floating platforms, a glass-paneled staircase, and a glass bridge. The ceiling is a binary code representing ones and zeros from the genetic code.
The library's collection is incredibly diverse, containing everything from rare books and manuscripts to spacecraft models and a wide array of scientific and technological artifacts.

Some of the notable items include an original 1957 Russian Sputnik, a napkin from 1943 with Einstein's handwritten notes, an Atlas Shrugged manuscript page with Ayn Rand's edits, and a complete set of the Enigma Machines used by the Nazis during WWII.
Jay uses his library as a sort of intellectual salon inviting scientists, researchers, and other thought leaders(and my children) to discuss ideas and explore the artifacts.

Jay describes human imagination as a uniquely human capacity to envision that which is not and thereby make it so. He views imagination as an important catalyst for innovation and progress leading to the creation of new ideas, technologies and solutions to problems. In interviews and presentations Jay emphasizes the idea that the human mind's ability to imagine and create is what sets us apart from other species and has enabled our rapid development and domination of the planet.

Jay is best known as one of the creators of Priceline.com. He also founded TEDMED, a health and medicine edition of the famous TED conference.

As I say in my full video, there are 2 kinds of people in the world. Collectors. And those who think collectors are insane. I am a collector. I hope that many viewers of this video also collectors and enjoy seeing what Jay Walker has collected. The library grows weekly as Jay spends a good portion of his time searching the world for new examples of human imagination as he defines it. Experts have called Jay’s Library one of the greatest & most unique private libraries in the world.

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