When a meteoroid, a chunk of debris in the solar system, enters Earth’s atmosphere, it becomes a meteor, and if a meteor reaches the ground and survives impact, it becomes a meteorite. Meteorites are prized by private collectors and scientists, who study them for astronomical insights.

The market for meteorites is highly organized. Meteorites have been hitting Earth for millions of years, and they can still be found in many desert areas. In Morocco, people bring meteorites picked up in the desert to local dealers, who then sell them to the public through websites and eBay. And there are professional meteorite hunters, who listen for news of meteorite showers and then travel to the landfalls to gather fresh meteorites. Recently some scientists traveled to Morocco to purchase a meteorite from Mars for $17,400 ($300 per gram). The scientists will examine the meteorite to get insights into the geology of Mars. The market price of meteorites varies from a few dollars per gram for the most common types to hundreds of dollars per gram for the rarest, including objects that originated from Mars and the moon.

Question.

Why do markets develop?