Should private buyers be allowed to own scientific specimens?
Scientists have long argued that allowing private buyers to own scientific specimens like fossils deprives paleontologists the opportunity to study them. And the extreme prices the fossils command mean most museums or academic institutions can’t compete in a bidding war. Do you think private buyers should be allowed to own important scientific specimens?
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I think specimens or any part of our distant past on this earth should not be privately owned but allowed to be shared with everyone on this earth. I wonder why selling this T. rex was even considered;
No. Private buyers should not own fossils. Fossils are not and should not be commodities with exchange values. They are part of the planet's heritage that can providd valuable scientific information. Such "samaritans" will do well to make endowments and fund research.
no
In a sane, more equitable, and more decent world, no individual would have so much money that they could outbid even a small museum, university, or research institution.
No it limits knowledge
No, I don't think private investors should be able to own such antiquities. They disappear from the public eye and even scientific research that way, which is a loss to humanity.
Absolutely not. This one is a no brainer.
