The day was August 7, 1996. The place, NASA's Johnson Space Center.
Questions immediately arise.
Well, since 1982, scientists have identified 11 other meteorites from Mars. This meteorite, ALH84001, contains a similar chemical signature to those already identified. Over the last ten years, planetary scientists have performed conclusive studies on these rocks, and their conclusions lead them to believe that ALH84001 is a Mars meteorite. Maybe this meteorite did come from Mars. Well, inside the meteorite are small cavities containing tiny orange-brown globules of calcium carbonate, rare in meteorites, but very common in terrestrial limestone.