[meteorite-list] NASA could sell...

From: Martin Altmann <altmann_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Mon, 27 Jun 2011 11:06:37 +0200
Message-ID: <002f01cc34a9$874623e0$95d26ba0$_at_de>

Hi Richard,

only to clarify - I wanted to express, that the strange notion that
individuals feel entitled, qua their occupation with such things, that
objects from outer space (in the truest meaning of the word, truly
"xenoliths") falling on a natural way down to Earth and which are searched
for and found by other people than them - that these objects shall
exclusively and only be at their personal disposal (if one wants to avoid
the term "possession") and that even for free,
that this weird notion is not widespread among scientists - and btw. never
was widespread in history -
but is a notion of a small minority of the specialized scientists
(a minority whose members are often not trained nor educated in that
particular sub-field of their occupation, how meteorites can be recovered at
all).

Of course it is a natural reflex to ignore such odd notions, but
unfortunately some of those, who have this notion can be sometimes very
noisy.
So noisy that they went nowadays so far, that they started to cause severe
damage and harm not only to the private collectors (as their intention is,
which can be welcomed or not), but also to the global scientific community,
to meteoritics in general as well to their employers (i.e. the state).


And else in that thread, that political ranting and raging against whatever
machine - I don't share.

ANSMET, PRIC, NIPR ect. are doing an excellent, an important job,
As well as NASA does,

see all the planetary missions! The orbiters and rovers on Mars, the Dawn
mission, and almost forgotten Cassini, the Titan probe, Genesis and and
and...

So endlessly more and fantastic than in the Viking-Pioneer-Voyager-age.

But public, and partially this list too, doesn't even notice that anymore,
in the flood of the media these missions perish, so spoiled are we,
that we even don't take notice anymore,

of the most sensational and overwhelming pictures and data (coming almost
daily in) from new and strange worlds,
mankind ever had.

Amen.
Martin


-----Urspr?ngliche Nachricht-----
Von: Richard Kowalski [mailto:damoclid at yahoo.com]
Gesendet: Montag, 27. Juni 2011 10:27
An: Martin Altmann; meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com
Betreff: Re: [meteorite-list] NASA could sell...





----- Original Message -----
From: Martin Altmann <altmann at meteorite-martin.de>
To: meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com

<snip>

And Richard, who says, that NASA wouldn't buy meteorites?
Nasa consists of hundreds of departments - of course if you address to the
janitor, he won't buy a meteorite.
But those exploring the solar system do, of course.

And the abnormal opinion of people, pretending to be scientists interested
in meteorites,
that a Moon or a chondrite is per se a crime,
that you found at best in countries with an underdeveloped meteorite
research like e.g. Australia or Oman,
but certainly not in USA.

;-)
Martin


Hey Martin,

I never suggested NASA researchers would never purchase meteorites as we all
know that some do. And yes, I know some wish they had more funds available
so they could purchase more material to study.

I can't speak to the scientist's attitude that no one should own meteorites
and his or her statement about ethics. Everyone has their own preconceived
notions, opinions and prejudices. Professional scientists are people too,
with the same failings as everyone else.

Enough unintentional hitting of the beehive with a stick for now. Back to
semi-lurking.

--
Richard Kowalski
Full Moon Photography
IMCA #1081

Received on Mon 27 Jun 2011 05:06:37 AM PDT