Sotheby's presents the star of its new auction in New York: a 'baby dinosaur'

Sotheby's presented its Natural History auction to the New York press, whose star piece is a large Ceratosaurus skeleton, a "baby dinosaur " that "any museum would want to have."

"This is one of only four known Ceratosaurus in the world. Of those four, it's the only juvenile, meaning it's a baby dinosaur," explains Cassandra Hatton, the auction house's vice president of Science and Natural History.

Hatton notes that the specimen , which is nearly two meters tall and three meters long and on display from today until July 15 at Sotheby's headquarters in the Big Apple, is in good condition and has a complete skull.

In addition, the most important parts of the skeleton are also well preserved , making it an item "that any museum in the world would love to have."

The 'baby dinosaur' will go up for auction on July 16 for an estimated price of between four and six million dollars , and Hatton hopes that on that day museums will focus on this piece.

"When there's something really rare and scientifically important , museums pay attention, and the people who buy items for (these institutions) will also pay attention," he says.

This dinosaur, which Hatton describes as a "very rare" species from the Jurassic era , was recognizable by a "very prominent bone in its nose that was once covered in cartilage and skin."

The skeleton was found in 1996 in the Bone Cabin Quarry (Wyoming, USA) and is the only known juvenile specimen of this species, which inhabited the Earth some 154–149 million years ago.

Beyond the Ceratosaurus, Sotheby's Natural History auction will feature another major star: the largest Martian meteorite ever found on Earth.

The arrival of this 24-kilogram meteorite to the planet is a "nearly impossible" event, since, first, a "gigantic" asteroid must hit the surface of Mars "with sufficient force and at the right angle" and then follow the correct trajectory toward Earth.

Hatton says this paper "tells us a lot about the Red Planet" and may shed light on whether Mars is habitable, something useful for people who want to "colonize" it.

In this way, the meteorite, found in Niger (Africa) in 2023 , can answer questions such as: "Is the atmosphere of Mars breathable? If not, can we make it breathable? Can we plant trees there?"

Other meteorites will also shine at this auction, including the largest lunar sphere ever found on Earth, as well as numerous rare minerals and T-Rex teeth.

Sotheby's also showcased the star products of its technology auction , which is now open for online bidding and will close on July 17.

That day, the Apple-1, one of the first personal computers —that is, intended for the general public and not for computer experts or technicians—to hit the market, will be sold to the highest bidder.

Designed by Steve Wozniak , this computer features a small screen decorated with the old multicolored bitten apple logo, as well as a keyboard.

According to the auction house, this machine, which is being auctioned for an estimated price of between $400,000 and $600,000 , became a computer accessible to an audience "that went far beyond hobbyists."