NASA is chasing an asteroid that contains more gold than exists on Earth– timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Somewhere between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter, a giant metallic world drifts silently through deep space. Unlike ordinary rocky asteroids, 16 Psyche has captured global attention because scientists believe it may contain enormous quantities of valuable metals, including iron, nickel, platinum, and possibly more gold than has ever been mined on Earth. The asteroid’s estimated theoretical value has triggered headlines describing it as a “trillion-dollar asteroid” or even a “space treasure chest”. But for NASA, the real fascination is not simply wealth. Scientists believe Psyche could be the exposed core of an ancient lost planet, offering a rare glimpse into how worlds like Earth were formed billions of years ago.