[meteorite-list] Gebel Kemil article in New Scientist

From: Jason Utas <meteoritekid_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu, 5 Aug 2010 12:29:10 -0700
Message-ID: <AANLkTinsmGNbqVfaHM3u2iseck6j+bjT9YWW26thmwxG_at_mail.gmail.com>

Hello Keiron, All,
Right, but those meteorites have already done their part for science
by being analyzed, etc. You're getting two ideas mixed up: that
meteorites are important sources of information for understanding our
early solar system -- and that public interest in meteorites should be
fostered by having specimens on public display.
The article isn't lamenting the existence of private collections
versus public ones; it is criticizing the idea that, were scientists
not willing to analyze illicitly obtained meteorites for dealers,
there is a chance that important meteorites might go unstudied. Well,
that's one of the issues being addressed.
Given the Meteoritical Society's apparent stance on such things, I
doubt that many, if any, meteorites are suffering this fate,
but...it's something to keep in mind when buying a meteorite that was
exported illegally.
Regards,
Jason


On Thu, Aug 5, 2010 at 12:06 PM, Kieron Heard
<kieron.heard at ukonline.co.uk> wrote:
> Much food for thought there, Matt. I was particularly struck by the
> following statement attributed to Philip Bland:
>
> "If they don't do it [analyse meteorites for dealers] then the meteorites
> will remain solely in private hands, sitting in a collection. The meteorites
> would be never seen again."
>
> It has been said before, but how many of the meteorites languishing in
> museum stores will ever be seen by the public? I'll bet my modest collection
> has the potential to reach a wider audience and generate more interest than
> some of those held by public bodies.
>
>
> Regards, Kieron
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: meteorite-list-bounces at meteoritecentral.com
> [mailto:meteorite-list-bounces at meteoritecentral.com]On Behalf Of Matt
> Smith
> Sent: 05 August 2010 19:40
> To: meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com
> Subject: [meteorite-list] Gebel Kemil article in New Scientist
>
>
> An article on the controversy regarding the recent Gebel Kemil find:
>
> http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg20727724.000-deep-impact-market-the-ra
> ce-to-acquire-meteorites.html
>
> or
>
> http://bit.ly/ct9U42
>
> Regarding the legal situation it states:
>
> "In Egypt, permission is supposed to be required to export meteorites. Di
> Martino and colleagues were authorised to take just 20 kilograms of Gebel
> Kamil
> out of the country. "Everything which is found in the Egyptian soil is
> property
> of the government," explains Tarek Hussein, who as former president of
> Egypt's
> Academy of Scientific Research and Technology ?was responsible for handling
> export applications until last April. He is concerned that many Gebel Kamil
> fragments that have appeared on the market in the west were not approved for
> export."
>
>
> Matt.
>
>
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Received on Thu 05 Aug 2010 03:29:10 PM PDT