‘Fake’ meteorite sellers under investigation

Commerce authorities have promised to take action against online vendors called out for auctioning alleged fake fragments of an asteroid that was seen above Southwest China last week, the Beijing News reported.

Sellers on Taobao began hocking what were advertised as fragments of the stony asteroid soon after it made impact 40 kilometers northwest of Shangri-La county, Yunnan Province on October 4.

Screenshots show the palm-sized piece priced at 20,000 yuan ($3,034), along with claims the seller found the fragment near the point of impact.

Authorities with the Yunnan Provincial Administration for Industry and Commerce are currently investigating the listing, Beijing News reported yesterday.

The online seller will be dealt with once investigation is completed, the administration told the paper.

The listing drew attention from the public, particularly among those in the scientific community.

“No fragments were recovered from the Shangri-La asteroid yet,” Xu Weibiao, chief scientist of celestial chemistry and Planetary Science Laboratory at Purple Mountain Observatory, Chinese Academy of Sciences, told the Beijing Morning Post.

“Ninety-nine percent of all the asteroid fragments being sold online are fake,” he added.

“Without tests, there’s no way to verify the fragments’ type, size or original source,” Xu was later quoted in an interview with Modern Express.