[meteorite-list] BS In The NYT: Black Market Trinkets From Space

From: Meteorites USA <eric_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Mon, 04 Apr 2011 12:30:53 -0700
Message-ID: <4D9A1C6D.8040008_at_meteoritesusa.com>

This is one of the most sensationalized, biased, uninformed, and skewed
article I've ever read on NYT's website regarding meteorites. Mainly the
article focuses on the Gebel Kamil iron meteorite, however it paints a
grim picture and tries to draw a connection to all meteorites implying
that the private market is somehow damaging the science.

Black Market Trinkets From Space:
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/05/science/05meteorite.html
Quote: "Popular or not, the meteorites were taboo. In Egypt and
elsewhere, scientists say, it is illegal without a permit to remove
meteorites from a country."
Quote: "The scientists say they have relatively few samples compared
with the booming illicit sales."
Quote: "Dr. Harvey of Case Western Reserve said the quandary applied to
the scientific community as a whole. The rampant looting of meteorite
sites and skyrocketing prices for the fragments, he said, ?dramatically
reduce who can get samples to do the research."
Quote: "The black market has exploded in size mainly because of a rush
of new meteorites arriving from North Africa and the Arabian Peninsula."
Quote: "The collectors association, founded in 2004 in Nevada, now has
hundreds of members around the globe. And while some traders deal in
legitimate exports, many do not. One buyer expressed remorse after
reading about scientific angst over the thriving market. ?I?m very
ashamed,? the buyer wrote on a blog. ?I?m surely a part of the problem.

This article is irresponsible and borderline yellow journalism from the
NYT. They should be ashamed for running such a biased and uninformed
story. Well over half of the article weighs on the disadvantages and
more than infers a "possible" damage to science which is not there.

It almost completely ignores the great good that's been accomplished
through private collecting/hunting/curating or meteorites and the
contributions that have been made by private collectors and hunters. It
never mentions donations to institutions, how much of a sample is needed
to study any meteorite, nor does it mention how many people it brings to
the science. There is one very good quote from Anne which states:

?The scientists do not have time to go hunt for their own meteorites, so
somebody has to do it for them,? said Anne M. Black, president of the
collectors association. ?It?s common sense.?

To the uninformed reader, and inexperienced meteorite collector the NYT
article looks very bad and creates an artificially biased view from
those not familiar with meteorites. It's purely political.

I think it should be an article for MHC Magazine. To make it FAIR for
everyone involved, I want ALL points of view, from all sides. From the
scientific world, and the private market, as well as the points from the
center. Anyone who would like the opportunity to tell the WHOLE story,
who cares to write a rebuttal for the NYT's blatantly biased article,
send me your info. I would be more than happy to publish it!

Contact me with your comments, facts and opinions. This article will be
both on the blog http://www.mhcmagazine.com/blog/ and in the next issue
of the magazine!

Regards,
Eric Wichman
MHC Magazine
http://www.mhcmagazine.com
Received on Mon 04 Apr 2011 03:30:53 PM PDT