On June 27, the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) stopped an auction company in Boston, suspended the sale of lunar dust collected during the Apollo 11 mission in 1969 and cockroach carcasses that scientists later conducted related experiments, and returned these substances to NASA

Apollo 11 mission brought back more than 21.3 kg of lunar rock samples to earth, some of which were fed by scientists to insects, fish, cockroaches and other organisms. According to the auction website, the purpose of the experiment is to determine whether the lunar dust contains any pathogens that may threaten life on earth

on May 25 this year, three German cockroach carcasses and 40 mg of lunar dust were auctioned at the remarkable auctions organized by RR auction house, with the price reaching US $400000. It is reported that NASA lawyers said in a letter to RR auction house that all materials in the experiment are the property of the US government

nasa wrote to the auction house on June 15 that all Apollo samples belong to NASA, and no person, university or other entity is allowed to retain them after analysis, destruction or for any purpose, let alone for sale or personal display. "

it is reported that the cockroaches in the auction were taken to the University of Minnesota after feeding the lunar dust. Entomologist Marion Brooks dissected and studied them. But Brooks did not return the experimental materials to NASA, but stayed at home. Brooks' daughter sold these materials in 2010. This year RR auction house was entrusted to auction these moon dust and cockroach corpses again

last Thursday, RR auction house announced to cancel the auction, but these materials have not been returned to NASA. In a letter dated June 22, NASA's lawyer asked RR auction company to cooperate with the current owner to return these materials

rr auction company lawyer mark Zaid said: "we have worked with NASA before, and we have been working with the U.S. government when it claims ownership of the items." "Ultimately, we want to take appropriate and legitimate action." (Chenchen)