Which Martian meteorite found in Antarctica became famous for claimed fossil-like structures? It was ALH84001. The meteorite was recovered in 1984 from the Allan Hills ice field in Antarctica and was later identified as a rock blasted from Mars by an impact.
ALH84001 is extremely ancient, roughly 4.5 billion years old. In 1996, NASA-supported researchers announced that carbonate globules, organic compounds, mineral features, and tiny shapes within the meteorite might be remnants of ancient Martian life. The announcement generated worldwide interest because it appeared to offer a possible trace of biology from another planet.
The claim remains disputed and is not accepted as confirmed evidence of fossils. Critics argued that the structures could have formed through non-biological chemistry or terrestrial contamination. Later studies have shown that several organic and mineral features can arise through geochemical processes involving water and rock. ALH84001 therefore remains scientifically important, but it is better described as a meteorite that prompted a famous fossil debate than as proof that life once existed on Mars.