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Scientists not paying for meteorites?

I heartily endorse the attitude of giving specimens to scientists
of new falls and finds.

If the finder wished to donate parts to science that is their right,
but to demand that they be required to do so ... hmm, I'm not so sure
about that.

On one hand, if a meteorite lands in my back yard and I have no
effort or expense to procure it, I don't see why I wouldn't offer
a decent sample gratis.

But, on the other hand, if I had to embark on an expedition to Sahara
that is something else entirely.

In other words, I'd make a distinction between those who are fortunate
in the find and those who are professional scouts. I wouldn't
discriminate between those professionals who have to cover physical
terrain, or those who have to deal with the public to get their material.

By way of analogy that I hope isn't so far fetched - as a professional
software engineer, do I have the right to request free samples of 
software? Should a professional golfer get free clubs and balls, etc?

The analogy fails only when one considers Science (with a capital S)
to be a profession that has some special rights and privileges
over the other professions - a holy priesthood, or having special
rights of access to knowledge.

Granted, teachers often get free books, but they are expected to
review or endorse them, athletes do get
lots of free equipment, and maybe software engineers get free software
(but not that I'm aware). However, this I would call advertisement
and endorsement, there are strings attached.

I don't know much about the economics of the sciences, but I think
that much of it comes from tax dollars via grants and other funding.
It's not inappropriate that some of that funding pay for specimens
procured from other professionals.

I wish that there were more public education in science and that scientists
participated more in the public view. When I grew up in the 50's and
60's there were plenty of science specials on space and astronomy - these days
most science on TV deal with the environment and the natural sciences.
Even on this list it's rare to hear from scientists in the meteoritic
community.

Just my two cents.

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