1 00:00:00,560 --> 00:00:02,760 Speaker 1: Ridiculous Crime is a production of iHeartRadio. 2 00:00:03,720 --> 00:00:05,880 Speaker 2: Saren Yobe is Saren over here? 3 00:00:05,960 --> 00:00:06,120 Speaker 3: Yes? 4 00:00:06,240 --> 00:00:10,119 Speaker 2: Hey, listen, pal, Yes, you know it's ridiculous. 5 00:00:09,720 --> 00:00:10,680 Speaker 3: That robe you're wearing. 6 00:00:11,280 --> 00:00:11,559 Speaker 2: What? 7 00:00:12,240 --> 00:00:14,800 Speaker 3: Okay? Whatever? I got dressed today? Look, God, somebody did, 8 00:00:15,040 --> 00:00:18,080 Speaker 3: Yes I do, Elizabeth, thank you for asking Barbara Ernie. 9 00:00:18,120 --> 00:00:18,760 Speaker 3: You ever heard of her? 10 00:00:19,120 --> 00:00:19,520 Speaker 2: No? 11 00:00:19,760 --> 00:00:22,560 Speaker 3: Really, I don't know. Maybe you're in the crime storytelling business. 12 00:00:22,640 --> 00:00:24,800 Speaker 3: You've never heard of her. I've never heard of her either. 13 00:00:24,880 --> 00:00:25,160 Speaker 2: Okay. 14 00:00:25,239 --> 00:00:28,479 Speaker 3: So she was a woman from Liechtenstein, and she was 15 00:00:28,600 --> 00:00:31,480 Speaker 3: known for being someone who would rob in so kind 16 00:00:31,480 --> 00:00:33,839 Speaker 3: of like a highwayman, but she did it like highway 17 00:00:33,880 --> 00:00:36,120 Speaker 3: woman style. So she went into the inn and robbed 18 00:00:36,120 --> 00:00:37,600 Speaker 3: them there. It's brilliant. 19 00:00:37,640 --> 00:00:39,880 Speaker 2: Okay, highway women are doing it for themselves. 20 00:00:39,920 --> 00:00:42,200 Speaker 3: Oh dude, you know it now. Her nickname, her street 21 00:00:42,280 --> 00:00:46,920 Speaker 3: name was Golden Booze b o o s Okay, yeah, 22 00:00:46,960 --> 00:00:51,599 Speaker 3: Golden Booze. So Golden Booze. She was like, you know, 23 00:00:51,720 --> 00:00:54,120 Speaker 3: hanging around Lichtenstein, you know, doing her things. This woman 24 00:00:54,240 --> 00:00:56,800 Speaker 3: had just apparently striking red blonde hair, and she used 25 00:00:56,800 --> 00:00:59,920 Speaker 3: to always travel with this treasure chest or a backpack 26 00:01:00,200 --> 00:01:02,040 Speaker 3: either one. So either she had like a traveling chest 27 00:01:02,120 --> 00:01:03,640 Speaker 3: or a backpack, and she'd chump in an hand and 28 00:01:03,680 --> 00:01:07,000 Speaker 3: she go, I must have my backpack or my travel 29 00:01:07,080 --> 00:01:09,840 Speaker 3: chest be locked in the nicest room you have. He's 30 00:01:09,920 --> 00:01:12,520 Speaker 3: inside of it is a priceless treasure, and I cannot 31 00:01:12,560 --> 00:01:15,480 Speaker 3: have one of these highwaymen possibly or bandits, or is 32 00:01:15,680 --> 00:01:18,760 Speaker 3: one of your local thieves stealing it. This is the 33 00:01:18,800 --> 00:01:22,880 Speaker 3: seventeen hundred, so like mid eighteenth century, so like yeah, 34 00:01:22,959 --> 00:01:27,640 Speaker 3: like seventeen sixties, seventeen fifties, and uh so anyway, so 35 00:01:27,720 --> 00:01:31,360 Speaker 3: she's seventeen seventies whatever, you know. So anyway, so she's 36 00:01:31,520 --> 00:01:34,880 Speaker 3: sitting there, she was she would stay in the best room, 37 00:01:35,440 --> 00:01:37,080 Speaker 3: it's right, not her, her stuff would stay in the 38 00:01:37,120 --> 00:01:38,959 Speaker 3: best room. And then she would just stay in some 39 00:01:39,000 --> 00:01:44,199 Speaker 3: other room. Meanwhile, inside of her luggage or her trunk 40 00:01:44,280 --> 00:01:47,520 Speaker 3: or her backpack was a little person. They would crawl 41 00:01:47,600 --> 00:01:51,200 Speaker 3: out of the backpack or out of the trunk. They 42 00:01:51,240 --> 00:01:54,040 Speaker 3: would rob the room blind. They would put all the 43 00:01:54,080 --> 00:01:56,560 Speaker 3: stuff in the trunk or the backpack with them. Then 44 00:01:56,600 --> 00:01:59,160 Speaker 3: they would be handed the backpack or a trunk. The 45 00:01:59,200 --> 00:02:01,960 Speaker 3: next morning, part barbora Ernie would bounce out with their 46 00:02:02,040 --> 00:02:04,960 Speaker 3: backpack and little man and be gone with a fortune, 47 00:02:05,200 --> 00:02:08,000 Speaker 3: and they did this over and over again, and just 48 00:02:08,280 --> 00:02:10,560 Speaker 3: she did it so long she got rich off of 49 00:02:10,639 --> 00:02:15,000 Speaker 3: doing it. Wow, Yeah she was. She was like a confidence. 50 00:02:14,639 --> 00:02:17,639 Speaker 2: Queen for other people, keeping their stuff in this nice room. 51 00:02:17,760 --> 00:02:19,920 Speaker 3: Yeah, whatever is in that nice room, I don't know, 52 00:02:20,000 --> 00:02:23,600 Speaker 3: like candlestick holders, whatever. They got silver everywhere, they got 53 00:02:23,600 --> 00:02:27,280 Speaker 3: gold things everywhere, so grabbing like frames for pictures. I 54 00:02:27,280 --> 00:02:29,760 Speaker 3: don't know what they do. They got candlestick holders are 55 00:02:29,800 --> 00:02:32,720 Speaker 3: right everywhere. They didn't have electricity. Now many candlestick holders 56 00:02:32,760 --> 00:02:34,480 Speaker 3: you had to have in a room. They're all silver 57 00:02:34,560 --> 00:02:40,240 Speaker 3: and gold, money sitting on tables exactly. They're taking everything 58 00:02:40,280 --> 00:02:43,960 Speaker 3: they can. And they eventually got caught. And the dude 59 00:02:44,000 --> 00:02:45,960 Speaker 3: never got caught. She got caught, and then you know 60 00:02:46,000 --> 00:02:47,200 Speaker 3: that she had a terrible end. 61 00:02:47,280 --> 00:02:49,119 Speaker 2: But did he ever get out of the suitcase? 62 00:02:49,160 --> 00:02:50,200 Speaker 3: Of course he got in the suitcase. 63 00:02:50,480 --> 00:02:51,800 Speaker 2: Maybe that's why they didn't catch him. 64 00:02:51,880 --> 00:02:53,800 Speaker 3: Yeah, I know, he's stuck. They we still don't know 65 00:02:53,840 --> 00:02:56,079 Speaker 3: his name. We only know her name. Isn't that ridiculous? 66 00:02:56,120 --> 00:03:00,240 Speaker 2: That is genius, so ridiculous, and I love it. You 67 00:03:00,240 --> 00:03:03,600 Speaker 2: want to know what else is ridiculous? Stealing something old 68 00:03:04,000 --> 00:03:28,720 Speaker 2: one hundred million years old? Why This is Ridiculous Crime, 69 00:03:28,840 --> 00:03:33,359 Speaker 2: a podcast about absurd and outrageous caper's heists and cons. 70 00:03:33,760 --> 00:03:36,880 Speaker 2: It's always ninety nine percent murder free and one hundred 71 00:03:36,920 --> 00:03:38,160 Speaker 2: percent ridiculous. 72 00:03:38,200 --> 00:03:39,160 Speaker 3: Oh you damn right. 73 00:03:39,760 --> 00:03:41,960 Speaker 2: Were you into dinosaurs as a kids? Arin? 74 00:03:42,160 --> 00:03:45,160 Speaker 3: Do you see me sitting there? Yes, I was into dining. 75 00:03:45,360 --> 00:03:48,040 Speaker 3: I am one of those kids who was into all 76 00:03:48,080 --> 00:03:49,960 Speaker 3: of the things. I wanted to be a marine biologist. 77 00:03:50,080 --> 00:03:52,960 Speaker 3: I was into dinosaurs, yes, dip a fourth. 78 00:03:53,880 --> 00:03:56,080 Speaker 2: I never got into it beyond thinking that, like the 79 00:03:56,160 --> 00:03:58,560 Speaker 2: t rex was pretty cool. Sure, that's about as far 80 00:03:58,600 --> 00:04:01,120 Speaker 2: as I went. But you know, there are kids like 81 00:04:01,160 --> 00:04:03,440 Speaker 2: you or who can name all sorts of obscure, tongue 82 00:04:03,480 --> 00:04:08,920 Speaker 2: twisting kinds of dinos. I wonder what makes dinosaurs so 83 00:04:09,080 --> 00:04:10,200 Speaker 2: compelling to kids. 84 00:04:10,800 --> 00:04:12,080 Speaker 3: I think it's the memorization. 85 00:04:12,640 --> 00:04:15,320 Speaker 2: Really, I think it's like the real life monster I'm saying. 86 00:04:15,320 --> 00:04:17,680 Speaker 3: But there's a lot of animals that qualify for me 87 00:04:17,680 --> 00:04:19,159 Speaker 3: if you think about it right, and you find kids 88 00:04:19,160 --> 00:04:20,880 Speaker 3: to get into a lot of animals. But then the 89 00:04:21,040 --> 00:04:23,280 Speaker 3: challenge of all the is you exactly said, it's the 90 00:04:23,320 --> 00:04:25,920 Speaker 3: tongue twisting names and being able to know those. It's 91 00:04:25,920 --> 00:04:27,600 Speaker 3: like one of your first things you can master as 92 00:04:27,640 --> 00:04:30,120 Speaker 3: a little smart kid, you know, as my thought. And 93 00:04:30,160 --> 00:04:32,880 Speaker 3: then obviously there's the majesty of these big thunder lizards 94 00:04:32,960 --> 00:04:34,240 Speaker 3: or whatever. I mean, that's cool. 95 00:04:34,520 --> 00:04:36,480 Speaker 2: Well, I'll tell you, you know what, something I'm just not 96 00:04:36,520 --> 00:04:40,240 Speaker 2: comfortable speculating about this, Okay, so I'll just leave it. 97 00:04:40,640 --> 00:04:43,120 Speaker 3: Sure, I'm just speculating on myself. 98 00:04:43,240 --> 00:04:46,039 Speaker 2: I know, I'm just messing with you. So dinosaur fossils, 99 00:04:46,080 --> 00:04:49,200 Speaker 2: they have been unearthed on every continent on the planet. 100 00:04:49,839 --> 00:04:50,080 Speaker 3: Cool. 101 00:04:50,400 --> 00:04:53,520 Speaker 2: Speaking of which, I have a challenge for the rude dudes. 102 00:04:54,279 --> 00:04:57,680 Speaker 2: Years ago when I say on the planet. Years ago, 103 00:04:57,800 --> 00:04:59,960 Speaker 2: my brother and I saw a sort of viral video. 104 00:05:00,160 --> 00:05:02,120 Speaker 2: It was like in the early days of viral videos 105 00:05:02,440 --> 00:05:05,240 Speaker 2: where a dad is frustrated with something dumb or like 106 00:05:05,400 --> 00:05:07,560 Speaker 2: weird that this kid did and he asks him are 107 00:05:07,600 --> 00:05:11,400 Speaker 2: you on the planet? And Travis Dutton and I quote 108 00:05:11,400 --> 00:05:13,960 Speaker 2: this all the time, but we can't find the original video. 109 00:05:14,279 --> 00:05:16,159 Speaker 2: So if this rings a bell, shoot it on over 110 00:05:16,200 --> 00:05:16,480 Speaker 2: to us. 111 00:05:16,520 --> 00:05:19,600 Speaker 3: Anyway, I just recently did this with he was out 112 00:05:19,640 --> 00:05:22,560 Speaker 3: all night with the Grand Marquis, which is a commercial. 113 00:05:22,600 --> 00:05:24,080 Speaker 3: It was a line from a commercial that my family 114 00:05:24,080 --> 00:05:26,040 Speaker 3: always says, she was out all night with the Grand 115 00:05:26,040 --> 00:05:28,440 Speaker 3: marquis not that grand marquee and then they pan over 116 00:05:28,480 --> 00:05:30,599 Speaker 3: to a car. It doesn't matter. It's like a So 117 00:05:30,640 --> 00:05:33,760 Speaker 3: I know, Zach, I got to show my family. I 118 00:05:33,760 --> 00:05:36,080 Speaker 3: was like, what the YouTube has? 119 00:05:36,160 --> 00:05:39,040 Speaker 2: Everybody here's as much more friend are you on the 120 00:05:39,080 --> 00:05:44,120 Speaker 2: planet as each other? So dino's are dino bones all 121 00:05:44,120 --> 00:05:47,600 Speaker 2: over the planet. Uh, some places have more than others. 122 00:05:47,680 --> 00:05:50,240 Speaker 2: The best places to find them are in deserts or 123 00:05:50,279 --> 00:05:54,920 Speaker 2: bad lands, you know, dry Texas, Yeah, Texas. So the 124 00:05:54,960 --> 00:06:00,039 Speaker 2: best of the locations are North America, Texas, China. 125 00:06:00,080 --> 00:06:06,200 Speaker 3: China is good, Argentina, Brazil, Yeah, particularly rich in fossils 126 00:06:06,279 --> 00:06:07,000 Speaker 3: parts of Russia. 127 00:06:07,200 --> 00:06:12,159 Speaker 2: Yeah, exactly. One found in Brazil was a carnivorous creature 128 00:06:12,240 --> 00:06:17,760 Speaker 2: called the irritator Irritator Challengery. In fact, it was named 129 00:06:17,800 --> 00:06:23,120 Speaker 2: after Professor's sister, Professor Challenger from Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's 130 00:06:23,160 --> 00:06:25,800 Speaker 2: nineteen twelve novel The Lost World. Yeah, bring it all, 131 00:06:25,960 --> 00:06:31,719 Speaker 2: Irritator Challengerry. And then there's Ubii Jara jubatis, what'd you 132 00:06:31,760 --> 00:06:34,560 Speaker 2: call me? It's a one hundred and ten million year 133 00:06:34,600 --> 00:06:38,960 Speaker 2: old dinosaur fossil that was found in Brazil. Uberi Jara 134 00:06:39,080 --> 00:06:42,760 Speaker 2: translates to Lord of the spear or mained lord of 135 00:06:42,800 --> 00:06:46,840 Speaker 2: the spear. And it's from Brazil's indigenous Tupi language and 136 00:06:46,880 --> 00:06:48,640 Speaker 2: the Latin word for crest. Oh. 137 00:06:48,680 --> 00:06:48,960 Speaker 3: Cool. 138 00:06:49,360 --> 00:06:53,640 Speaker 2: And it was believed it was probably a predatory dinosaur, 139 00:06:53,720 --> 00:06:56,719 Speaker 2: about four and a half feet from snout to tail, 140 00:06:57,080 --> 00:07:00,400 Speaker 2: but only standing thirteen to fourteen inches from shoulder to 141 00:07:00,480 --> 00:07:04,000 Speaker 2: the ground. This is a little baby, a long baby. 142 00:07:04,040 --> 00:07:07,120 Speaker 2: It was long but little, and it weighed about the 143 00:07:07,160 --> 00:07:09,760 Speaker 2: same as like a turkey or a large chicken. 144 00:07:09,880 --> 00:07:13,240 Speaker 3: Has weighed the same as that. Yeah, wow, okay, kind of. 145 00:07:13,200 --> 00:07:16,520 Speaker 2: Light for such a long way. Uberrajara. 146 00:07:16,880 --> 00:07:20,120 Speaker 3: I always think of lizards being heavier than birds, right, yeah. 147 00:07:19,960 --> 00:07:22,560 Speaker 2: I don't know why that is. The bird bones, you know, 148 00:07:22,600 --> 00:07:27,040 Speaker 2: make it all lightweight. Ubert Jara apparently similar to Indonesia's 149 00:07:27,440 --> 00:07:31,280 Speaker 2: standard wing bird of Paradise, which also had really like 150 00:07:31,520 --> 00:07:34,960 Speaker 2: exaggerated shoulder feathers used for display. You know, if you're 151 00:07:35,000 --> 00:07:35,640 Speaker 2: into that sort of. 152 00:07:35,560 --> 00:07:36,800 Speaker 3: Thing, some people like to steal them. 153 00:07:36,840 --> 00:07:42,080 Speaker 2: I couldn't possibly speculate. Researchers thought that studying uberi jara 154 00:07:42,280 --> 00:07:45,960 Speaker 2: might help explain why birds like peacocks get their flair 155 00:07:46,040 --> 00:07:48,680 Speaker 2: for the dramatic Oh so that goes back in time. 156 00:07:49,400 --> 00:07:53,640 Speaker 2: One particular specimen, our Uberijara for the sake of this tail, 157 00:07:54,160 --> 00:07:58,200 Speaker 2: had the neck and backbones. This specimen some rib bones, 158 00:07:58,600 --> 00:08:02,160 Speaker 2: a complete four limb, and lumps of what's called grave 159 00:08:02,320 --> 00:08:04,000 Speaker 2: wax body fats. 160 00:08:04,240 --> 00:08:07,800 Speaker 3: Oh yeah, interesting, So basically body fats that congealed in 161 00:08:07,800 --> 00:08:08,960 Speaker 3: a way that they were preserved. 162 00:08:09,040 --> 00:08:13,520 Speaker 2: Yeah, into this waxy substance. The fossil attracted special attention. 163 00:08:14,240 --> 00:08:18,160 Speaker 2: This one had extravagant spikes shooting up off of its shoulders. 164 00:08:18,160 --> 00:08:23,720 Speaker 2: It's very like Tina Turner, Grace Jones Thunderdome Yes, as 165 00:08:23,760 --> 00:08:27,600 Speaker 2: well as filaments kind of like mammalian fur with the 166 00:08:27,640 --> 00:08:30,600 Speaker 2: mane of like whiskery fur running down its back. That's 167 00:08:30,600 --> 00:08:33,239 Speaker 2: where it gets that name. So it's a really groundbreaking 168 00:08:33,280 --> 00:08:36,199 Speaker 2: discovery to have this kind of fur still preserved. Yeah. 169 00:08:36,720 --> 00:08:41,840 Speaker 2: So ubera Jara was removed from the r Repay Basin 170 00:08:42,160 --> 00:08:45,640 Speaker 2: in Brazil under unclear circumstances. 171 00:08:45,880 --> 00:08:46,480 Speaker 3: I love those. 172 00:08:46,640 --> 00:08:49,000 Speaker 2: There wasn't a lot of paperwork involved, which is rare. 173 00:08:49,120 --> 00:08:52,600 Speaker 2: I also love that because Great Holy Moses, the archaeologists 174 00:08:52,600 --> 00:08:55,120 Speaker 2: and the paleontologists, they love their documentation. 175 00:08:55,280 --> 00:08:58,000 Speaker 3: Oh they do. It's such a problem for me with them. 176 00:08:58,160 --> 00:09:03,240 Speaker 3: I'm like the wear, I don't have the paper paperwork. 177 00:09:02,840 --> 00:09:06,959 Speaker 2: There you go. So uberi Jara went from Brazil to 178 00:09:07,160 --> 00:09:11,439 Speaker 2: Germany and size one does, yeah, sort of the reverse migrations. 179 00:09:11,520 --> 00:09:17,359 Speaker 2: Specifically the State Museum of Natural History Carl schru SMNK. 180 00:09:18,679 --> 00:09:22,679 Speaker 2: There were no legitimate export permits or documentation as to 181 00:09:22,760 --> 00:09:25,120 Speaker 2: how it was obtained in the first place. As I 182 00:09:25,200 --> 00:09:31,559 Speaker 2: stated SMNK, the museum unbothered. They unveiled Uberi Jara in 183 00:09:31,679 --> 00:09:36,920 Speaker 2: the publication Cretaceous Research on December thirteenth, twenty twenty. 184 00:09:37,200 --> 00:09:39,439 Speaker 3: I just got my last issue, right, that was just 185 00:09:39,600 --> 00:09:40,840 Speaker 3: it just expired. 186 00:09:41,559 --> 00:09:47,080 Speaker 2: No Brazilian authors, hanky. So the publication presented the specimen 187 00:09:47,200 --> 00:09:51,920 Speaker 2: as a newly discovered species that German paleontologists named. The 188 00:09:52,000 --> 00:09:57,280 Speaker 2: publication of the paper set off legal, ethical, all these problems, 189 00:09:57,320 --> 00:10:01,800 Speaker 2: all this controversy between German paleontologist and the entire Brazilian 190 00:10:02,080 --> 00:10:05,840 Speaker 2: scientific community. So Brazil declared that the specimen had been 191 00:10:05,960 --> 00:10:12,800 Speaker 2: illegally exported. Cretaceous Research permanently withdrew the Ubera Jara article 192 00:10:12,880 --> 00:10:15,439 Speaker 2: in September of twenty twenty one. They're like, you know what, 193 00:10:15,640 --> 00:10:18,760 Speaker 2: that's enough. This of course, this puts the specimen in limbo. 194 00:10:19,520 --> 00:10:20,160 Speaker 2: No one could do. 195 00:10:20,200 --> 00:10:22,000 Speaker 3: Any research on it, either fish nor foul. 196 00:10:22,280 --> 00:10:27,880 Speaker 2: No so per paleontologist Tastes of Rodriguez from Brazil's Federal 197 00:10:28,000 --> 00:10:33,160 Speaker 2: University of Espiritu Santu. When an important fossil is found 198 00:10:33,200 --> 00:10:36,559 Speaker 2: and sold, our scientists stop studying them. We are no 199 00:10:36,720 --> 00:10:41,079 Speaker 2: longer discovering our own history. The lead author of the 200 00:10:41,200 --> 00:10:45,719 Speaker 2: now withdrawn critasous research piece, Robert Smythe. He conducted his 201 00:10:45,960 --> 00:10:49,679 Speaker 2: research as a master's student at the University of Portsmouth, England. 202 00:10:50,120 --> 00:10:53,840 Speaker 2: He said, quote, up until now, we've been missing half 203 00:10:53,880 --> 00:10:56,240 Speaker 2: of the world in terms of the evolution of feathers. 204 00:10:56,520 --> 00:10:58,360 Speaker 2: It's just a bit a blank space. 205 00:10:58,480 --> 00:11:01,600 Speaker 3: Really, yeah, fill that blank space in yeah. 206 00:11:01,520 --> 00:11:04,120 Speaker 2: Blank space, Like the paperwork on that export of old 207 00:11:04,400 --> 00:11:05,720 Speaker 2: uber Jar should be right. 208 00:11:05,640 --> 00:11:08,080 Speaker 3: Peal, So do a lot of work in a blank space, 209 00:11:08,080 --> 00:11:10,160 Speaker 3: Elizabeth exactly. So. 210 00:11:10,280 --> 00:11:14,360 Speaker 2: That same month, the magazine Science published an article highlighting 211 00:11:14,400 --> 00:11:18,240 Speaker 2: the different accounts talking about how the specimen was exported. 212 00:11:18,760 --> 00:11:22,240 Speaker 2: So as a result of that reporting, the Baden Wurtemberg 213 00:11:22,360 --> 00:11:27,760 Speaker 2: Science Ministry launched an investigation dun dund Investigative journalism for 214 00:11:27,800 --> 00:11:33,120 Speaker 2: the win so per the withdrawn Cretaceous research article. Uberi 215 00:11:33,200 --> 00:11:37,120 Speaker 2: Jara Jubatis was quote brought to Germany along with scientific 216 00:11:37,200 --> 00:11:40,320 Speaker 2: samples in nineteen ninety five, and this was done by 217 00:11:40,520 --> 00:11:46,080 Speaker 2: SMK paleontologist eb Hard Frey, and that the authorized exporting 218 00:11:46,160 --> 00:11:49,680 Speaker 2: of the specimen was granted in February of nineteen ninety 219 00:11:49,720 --> 00:11:53,880 Speaker 2: five by the National Department of Mineral Production, and this 220 00:11:54,040 --> 00:11:56,680 Speaker 2: gave Frey the go ahead to ship quote two boxes 221 00:11:56,760 --> 00:12:01,240 Speaker 2: containing calcerous samples with fossils without any commercial value, with 222 00:12:01,360 --> 00:12:05,880 Speaker 2: the main objective to proceed with paleontological studies to the 223 00:12:06,120 --> 00:12:06,800 Speaker 2: SMK music. 224 00:12:06,880 --> 00:12:08,040 Speaker 3: Sure, so it sounds like they threw a lot of 225 00:12:08,120 --> 00:12:10,160 Speaker 3: syllables out some paperwork to make it sound. 226 00:12:09,960 --> 00:12:13,280 Speaker 2: Official exactly, And they said, but they said, we have paperwork. 227 00:12:13,800 --> 00:12:16,960 Speaker 2: The museum later admitted to the Ministry that it had 228 00:12:17,080 --> 00:12:22,199 Speaker 2: made erroneous statements in these in these in these paperwork hoops. 229 00:12:22,480 --> 00:12:26,120 Speaker 2: So according to the ministry's probe, the museum wasn't able 230 00:12:26,200 --> 00:12:29,719 Speaker 2: to give any record of having obtained proper documentation of 231 00:12:29,800 --> 00:12:33,280 Speaker 2: the fossils acquisition and was unable to prove the specimen 232 00:12:33,400 --> 00:12:36,520 Speaker 2: was imported before a two thousand and seven German cultural 233 00:12:36,600 --> 00:12:39,920 Speaker 2: protection law was put into place. They got nothing. However, 234 00:12:40,400 --> 00:12:44,600 Speaker 2: twenty twenty one, the German Ministry told Science the magazine 235 00:12:44,640 --> 00:12:48,719 Speaker 2: not just Science written large, just the book SMNK like 236 00:12:48,800 --> 00:12:50,959 Speaker 2: hello Science, like just yelling outside. 237 00:12:51,120 --> 00:12:53,000 Speaker 3: By the way, tell Math this too. 238 00:12:54,559 --> 00:12:58,280 Speaker 2: So the German Ministry tells Science that the museum acquired 239 00:12:58,320 --> 00:13:00,839 Speaker 2: the specimen in two thousand and nine after it was 240 00:13:00,960 --> 00:13:04,640 Speaker 2: imported by a private company in two thousand and six. Also, 241 00:13:05,320 --> 00:13:10,080 Speaker 2: Jose Betemar Melo figuroa then now retired official who signed 242 00:13:10,120 --> 00:13:13,800 Speaker 2: phrase permit, told Brazilian news portal g One that the 243 00:13:13,880 --> 00:13:17,600 Speaker 2: researchers quote also needed authorization from the Ministry of Science 244 00:13:17,679 --> 00:13:21,319 Speaker 2: and Technology. So this Brazilian guy signs on it thinking 245 00:13:21,400 --> 00:13:23,600 Speaker 2: that this is going to help him get signed off 246 00:13:23,960 --> 00:13:26,760 Speaker 2: from a larger Brazilian organization, not that this is going 247 00:13:26,840 --> 00:13:28,160 Speaker 2: to help the same in all the country. 248 00:13:28,240 --> 00:13:28,440 Speaker 3: Yeah. 249 00:13:29,120 --> 00:13:34,480 Speaker 2: So Frey, in an email to a national geographic said quote, 250 00:13:34,880 --> 00:13:38,280 Speaker 2: I am sure we will find a solution, you know sure, 251 00:13:38,920 --> 00:13:41,560 Speaker 2: And then he goes on, he goes to tell Science, 252 00:13:41,880 --> 00:13:43,640 Speaker 2: we're trying to find a way to solve this in 253 00:13:43,760 --> 00:13:45,880 Speaker 2: a fair way, in a way that makes sense. 254 00:13:46,400 --> 00:13:49,360 Speaker 3: I don't ever believe someone who's saying that to a journalist. 255 00:13:49,520 --> 00:13:51,360 Speaker 3: If you're having to say that to a journalist, at 256 00:13:51,400 --> 00:13:51,880 Speaker 3: that point, I'm like. 257 00:13:51,880 --> 00:13:53,719 Speaker 2: I don't believe that, and so fair for him. He's 258 00:13:53,720 --> 00:13:58,880 Speaker 2: trying to negotiate temporary lease of Uberi Jara to keep 259 00:13:58,960 --> 00:14:02,559 Speaker 2: him on display in Germany before returning it to Brazil. 260 00:14:02,679 --> 00:14:04,079 Speaker 3: We want to keep our feathered friend. 261 00:14:04,240 --> 00:14:05,360 Speaker 2: Yeah, it's fair for me. 262 00:14:05,600 --> 00:14:05,760 Speaker 3: Yes. 263 00:14:06,720 --> 00:14:10,160 Speaker 2: So Alexander Kellner, who is the director of the National 264 00:14:10,240 --> 00:14:14,600 Speaker 2: Museum of Brazil, said, quote, everyone is welcome to study them, 265 00:14:14,800 --> 00:14:17,599 Speaker 2: to publish on them, and then give them back, like 266 00:14:17,720 --> 00:14:21,760 Speaker 2: they just want Tom back. So Frey feels that even 267 00:14:21,920 --> 00:14:25,520 Speaker 2: though he obtained the required documents for the exportation of 268 00:14:25,600 --> 00:14:29,000 Speaker 2: these fossils, that the documents only referred to samples that 269 00:14:29,120 --> 00:14:33,240 Speaker 2: were unspecified, and so he says they arrived legally, but 270 00:14:33,360 --> 00:14:34,760 Speaker 2: we just can't prove it properly. 271 00:14:36,040 --> 00:14:38,640 Speaker 3: You see, there's some ambiguities, but I did not create them. 272 00:14:38,720 --> 00:14:39,920 Speaker 3: I'm just living underneath that. 273 00:14:40,080 --> 00:14:43,600 Speaker 2: He's like to sum up, totally legal, totally cool, exactly. 274 00:14:43,840 --> 00:14:46,960 Speaker 2: So Kellner, though, the director of the Brazilian Museum, he 275 00:14:47,120 --> 00:14:51,440 Speaker 2: says there's no legal exportation of fossils period. He just 276 00:14:51,640 --> 00:14:54,280 Speaker 2: doesn't chance right, just start it that way. So then 277 00:14:54,360 --> 00:14:57,080 Speaker 2: he says that the only circumstance in which a fossil 278 00:14:57,120 --> 00:15:00,920 Speaker 2: could legally leave the country for another to study, would 279 00:15:00,960 --> 00:15:04,440 Speaker 2: be as a temporary loan. And so Kellner asks, like, 280 00:15:05,360 --> 00:15:08,120 Speaker 2: why is such an incredible fossil but given to Germany 281 00:15:08,200 --> 00:15:10,600 Speaker 2: so long ago and we're only now seeing the publication. 282 00:15:11,360 --> 00:15:13,760 Speaker 2: So is that because they knew that they got it 283 00:15:13,880 --> 00:15:17,760 Speaker 2: under dubious circumstances? He said, quote, it's hard to believe 284 00:15:17,800 --> 00:15:21,160 Speaker 2: that any paleontologist would not have recognized the importance of 285 00:15:21,240 --> 00:15:23,520 Speaker 2: this specimen and not published it earlier. 286 00:15:23,960 --> 00:15:25,920 Speaker 3: Okay, because it is pretty groundbreaking, I. 287 00:15:26,040 --> 00:15:31,520 Speaker 2: Remember hugely so. David Martil Martil of University of Portsmouth 288 00:15:31,560 --> 00:15:34,800 Speaker 2: in England, said in an email to National Geographic that 289 00:15:34,920 --> 00:15:38,320 Speaker 2: he quote would be happy if all the Brazilian fossils 290 00:15:38,440 --> 00:15:40,720 Speaker 2: in all of the museums around the world went back 291 00:15:40,760 --> 00:15:41,240 Speaker 2: to Brazil. 292 00:15:42,080 --> 00:15:44,880 Speaker 3: But and that but's done a lot of work. 293 00:15:45,200 --> 00:15:48,400 Speaker 2: He thinks that the laws that Brazil has regarding fossil 294 00:15:48,440 --> 00:15:50,960 Speaker 2: ownership are a little too strict counterproductive. 295 00:15:51,040 --> 00:15:52,480 Speaker 3: I would love to be able to do that, but 296 00:15:52,640 --> 00:15:53,960 Speaker 3: I don't trust Brazil. 297 00:15:54,120 --> 00:15:56,480 Speaker 2: I wish I could imagine it's Brazil, why won't you 298 00:15:56,560 --> 00:15:58,080 Speaker 2: give them from them? 299 00:15:58,240 --> 00:16:00,800 Speaker 3: But they don't vow you with the way I think 300 00:16:00,840 --> 00:16:01,280 Speaker 3: they should. 301 00:16:02,760 --> 00:16:05,800 Speaker 2: So here's what he says. Because the trade and fossils 302 00:16:05,920 --> 00:16:08,720 Speaker 2: was illegal, and because there was potentially big money to 303 00:16:08,800 --> 00:16:13,000 Speaker 2: be made from trading them, it became utterly corrupt. That's why, right, 304 00:16:14,040 --> 00:16:16,760 Speaker 2: So what are these overly strict and counterproductive laws? 305 00:16:16,920 --> 00:16:19,560 Speaker 3: Are these overly counterproductive laws? Elizabeth well? 306 00:16:19,720 --> 00:16:23,200 Speaker 2: A nineteen forty two Brazilian law says that fossil collecting 307 00:16:23,320 --> 00:16:27,760 Speaker 2: within the country requires National Mining Agency permits. It also 308 00:16:27,880 --> 00:16:30,800 Speaker 2: says that all fossils that are found belong to the country. 309 00:16:31,600 --> 00:16:36,120 Speaker 2: So yeah, okay, standard, No, this is totally standard. A 310 00:16:36,240 --> 00:16:39,280 Speaker 2: decree made in nineteen ninety added that the exporting of 311 00:16:39,400 --> 00:16:42,680 Speaker 2: fossils must first be approved by Brazil's Ministry of Science, 312 00:16:42,760 --> 00:16:47,160 Speaker 2: Technology and Innovation, and then foreign researchers have to collaborate 313 00:16:47,240 --> 00:16:49,600 Speaker 2: with a Brazilian institution in any studies. 314 00:16:49,680 --> 00:16:51,680 Speaker 3: Yeah, we want our names with the papers too, rite. 315 00:16:51,840 --> 00:16:55,120 Speaker 2: I don't see how that's overreaching. And then they all 316 00:16:55,240 --> 00:16:59,920 Speaker 2: so this is proof that SMNK should have had in hand, 317 00:17:00,120 --> 00:17:02,360 Speaker 2: but they couldn't provide. They done broke the law. 318 00:17:02,480 --> 00:17:04,320 Speaker 3: Oh, definitely broke the law, and then also did it 319 00:17:04,400 --> 00:17:06,960 Speaker 3: in that whole like it's only on paperwork. 320 00:17:06,640 --> 00:17:12,119 Speaker 2: Right, fry Frey, He told German newspaper BNN that he 321 00:17:12,400 --> 00:17:14,840 Speaker 2: was the only one really involved in this, and then 322 00:17:15,160 --> 00:17:19,440 Speaker 2: SMNK scientific director Norbert Lens didn't have anything to do 323 00:17:19,560 --> 00:17:19,720 Speaker 2: with it. 324 00:17:19,960 --> 00:17:22,560 Speaker 3: I'm telling you, my boss was totally unaware of what 325 00:17:22,720 --> 00:17:24,240 Speaker 3: I was doing in the jungle. 326 00:17:24,560 --> 00:17:28,240 Speaker 2: It was Norbert Lens. He is author of the paper 327 00:17:28,320 --> 00:17:29,600 Speaker 2: in Cretaceous research. 328 00:17:29,680 --> 00:17:32,000 Speaker 3: He was totally unaware of everything except for the fact 329 00:17:32,040 --> 00:17:32,880 Speaker 3: his name was on the paper. 330 00:17:33,040 --> 00:17:35,399 Speaker 2: Totally innocent. But yet he left the museum on his 331 00:17:35,480 --> 00:17:39,880 Speaker 2: own volition September thirty twenty two. He's like, look, I'm 332 00:17:39,920 --> 00:17:40,239 Speaker 2: out of here. 333 00:17:40,320 --> 00:17:42,120 Speaker 3: I gotta go spend time with somebody else's family. 334 00:17:42,200 --> 00:17:44,680 Speaker 2: But he told BNN that he left and they had 335 00:17:44,840 --> 00:17:49,560 Speaker 2: nothing to do with Uberijara. And then Science magazine was like, hey, hey, 336 00:17:49,680 --> 00:17:51,800 Speaker 2: can you get a comment? Hey? He was like, I 337 00:17:51,840 --> 00:17:53,919 Speaker 2: don't know, he's not here a click. He wouldn't give 338 00:17:53,960 --> 00:17:54,280 Speaker 2: a comment. 339 00:17:54,359 --> 00:17:58,080 Speaker 3: Oh really, so Frey, I would say it was about parking, 340 00:17:58,160 --> 00:18:01,480 Speaker 3: like they wouldn't give me my parking space, ridiculous, Like. 341 00:18:01,520 --> 00:18:04,520 Speaker 2: It was horrible. Put that in print Martel and Frey. 342 00:18:04,600 --> 00:18:08,879 Speaker 2: They started criticizing the way that Brazil cares for their fossils. 343 00:18:09,440 --> 00:18:09,879 Speaker 3: I knew it. 344 00:18:09,920 --> 00:18:12,439 Speaker 2: They see it the same thing always. So they pointed 345 00:18:12,480 --> 00:18:14,439 Speaker 2: out that there was a fire in twenty eighteen at 346 00:18:14,520 --> 00:18:18,159 Speaker 2: Rio de Janio's Museum Nationale, saying that the fire occurred 347 00:18:18,160 --> 00:18:22,920 Speaker 2: because of negligence and ninety two and a half percent 348 00:18:23,040 --> 00:18:25,440 Speaker 2: of the archived items in the museum were destroyed in 349 00:18:25,520 --> 00:18:27,320 Speaker 2: the fire, out of twenty million items. 350 00:18:27,359 --> 00:18:29,800 Speaker 3: I was Brazil, I'd be like, well, a couple decades ago, 351 00:18:29,880 --> 00:18:31,680 Speaker 3: you guys kind of bombed a lot of museums, So 352 00:18:32,280 --> 00:18:32,879 Speaker 3: where are we at. 353 00:18:33,119 --> 00:18:35,920 Speaker 2: Yeah, one point five million items were stored in a 354 00:18:36,000 --> 00:18:39,240 Speaker 2: separate facility and they were spared from the fire. The 355 00:18:39,359 --> 00:18:41,840 Speaker 2: museums on a hilltop and the fire hydrants didn't have 356 00:18:41,960 --> 00:18:44,600 Speaker 2: enough pressure to get up up the hill the water. 357 00:18:45,440 --> 00:18:47,840 Speaker 2: The museum's deputy director, he said the fire was a 358 00:18:47,880 --> 00:18:51,440 Speaker 2: result of neglect from successive governments. So he said curators 359 00:18:51,520 --> 00:18:54,560 Speaker 2: quote fought with different governments to get adequate resources to 360 00:18:54,640 --> 00:18:57,640 Speaker 2: preserve what is now completely destroyed, and that he felt 361 00:18:57,840 --> 00:19:01,320 Speaker 2: total dismay and immense anger. So the museum only had 362 00:19:01,320 --> 00:19:04,919 Speaker 2: a few fire extinguishers, a smoke detector, no sprinkler system, 363 00:19:05,359 --> 00:19:07,600 Speaker 2: and there were a lot of repairs needed at the museum. 364 00:19:07,960 --> 00:19:08,800 Speaker 2: Even before the fire. 365 00:19:09,000 --> 00:19:11,360 Speaker 3: We constantly run into this. Museums they always have bad security. 366 00:19:11,440 --> 00:19:12,080 Speaker 3: They need updates. 367 00:19:12,119 --> 00:19:15,080 Speaker 2: On this one, peeling paint exposed wiring, and the museum 368 00:19:15,200 --> 00:19:19,200 Speaker 2: had tried to address this through crowdfunding, so funds needed 369 00:19:19,240 --> 00:19:22,280 Speaker 2: for the museum maintenance hadn't been provided since twenty fourteen. 370 00:19:22,760 --> 00:19:25,919 Speaker 2: Indigenous people were livid that the museum wasn't getting funding. 371 00:19:26,240 --> 00:19:28,600 Speaker 2: But at the same time, quote, the city had recently 372 00:19:28,680 --> 00:19:30,760 Speaker 2: managed to fund a huge budget to build a brand 373 00:19:30,800 --> 00:19:35,840 Speaker 2: new Museum of Tomorrow. So the museum celebrated its. 374 00:19:35,760 --> 00:19:39,440 Speaker 3: Two hundred Tomorrow's ridiculous. 375 00:19:39,000 --> 00:19:42,639 Speaker 2: Yes it does. They did it's two hundredth anniversary just 376 00:19:42,760 --> 00:19:45,440 Speaker 2: three months before the fire, and at that point it 377 00:19:45,520 --> 00:19:48,480 Speaker 2: was partially abandoned and no state officials came to the ceremony, 378 00:19:48,920 --> 00:19:51,800 Speaker 2: so it was supposed to be an electrical fire. So 379 00:19:52,000 --> 00:19:54,440 Speaker 2: Martil he doubles down and he was like, you know what, 380 00:19:54,480 --> 00:19:56,560 Speaker 2: it's a good thing the fossils weren't returned to Brazil 381 00:19:56,640 --> 00:19:58,960 Speaker 2: before quote, because now they would all be reduced to 382 00:19:59,000 --> 00:20:04,080 Speaker 2: ashes after that magic fire. Elaine Gaillardi, a paleontologist at 383 00:20:04,119 --> 00:20:07,399 Speaker 2: the Federal University of Rio Grande Norte, had this to 384 00:20:07,480 --> 00:20:10,320 Speaker 2: say in response, quote, Brazil does not take care of 385 00:20:10,359 --> 00:20:14,240 Speaker 2: its fossils because the Museum Nationale burned. Okay, what about 386 00:20:14,320 --> 00:20:19,120 Speaker 2: Notre Dame. She says, they are trying to neutralize, normalize 387 00:20:19,240 --> 00:20:23,400 Speaker 2: a very sick behavior. So Martel then is like, okay, 388 00:20:23,480 --> 00:20:26,800 Speaker 2: you know that was a bit and sensitive. He claimed 389 00:20:26,840 --> 00:20:28,879 Speaker 2: that he felt it was good to return fossils of 390 00:20:28,960 --> 00:20:31,520 Speaker 2: Brazilian origin back to their home and to help rebuild 391 00:20:31,560 --> 00:20:33,240 Speaker 2: the museum and its collections. 392 00:20:33,320 --> 00:20:36,280 Speaker 3: I can't believe dropped all so good. 393 00:20:37,160 --> 00:20:40,520 Speaker 2: Well, I realized that the following might seem inflammatory, but 394 00:20:40,600 --> 00:20:43,560 Speaker 2: the inescapable fact is that so many fossils were removed 395 00:20:43,600 --> 00:20:46,200 Speaker 2: from Brazil in the nineteen seventies, nineteen eighties, and first 396 00:20:46,240 --> 00:20:48,760 Speaker 2: half of the nineteen nineties. So he's like, okay, it 397 00:20:48,800 --> 00:20:49,359 Speaker 2: happened before. 398 00:20:49,520 --> 00:20:52,200 Speaker 3: Kenny's say upsetting instead of inflammatory. I mean, this guy's 399 00:20:52,320 --> 00:20:53,359 Speaker 3: just he's just not it. 400 00:20:53,600 --> 00:20:56,040 Speaker 2: Let's take a dino break. When we come back, I'll 401 00:20:56,080 --> 00:20:59,120 Speaker 2: tell you about an investigation with a super sick radical name. 402 00:20:59,400 --> 00:21:00,080 Speaker 3: Yeah Brah. 403 00:21:20,160 --> 00:21:25,879 Speaker 2: Hello, Hello, Hello, welcome, Hey Uberi Jara. You know that 404 00:21:26,119 --> 00:21:28,680 Speaker 2: uber Jar isn't the only fossil to be smuggled out 405 00:21:28,680 --> 00:21:33,239 Speaker 2: of Brazil. No, No, In fact, dino bone smuggling has 406 00:21:33,280 --> 00:21:35,280 Speaker 2: been a big operation there for some time. 407 00:21:35,440 --> 00:21:38,520 Speaker 3: Yes, from what I understand from the news, Yes, so 408 00:21:38,760 --> 00:21:39,159 Speaker 3: much so. 409 00:21:39,800 --> 00:21:43,040 Speaker 2: That the government had a whole investigation surrounding the illicit 410 00:21:43,200 --> 00:21:47,760 Speaker 2: bone trade. Really yeah, Operation Santana Raptor. 411 00:21:48,600 --> 00:21:49,159 Speaker 3: I like this. 412 00:21:49,400 --> 00:21:52,840 Speaker 2: Yeah, it's named for the Santana raptor. All one word, 413 00:21:53,240 --> 00:21:57,040 Speaker 2: the Santana raptor, which was discovered by our old pal 414 00:21:57,400 --> 00:21:59,920 Speaker 2: Alexander Kellner of the director of the museum. 415 00:22:00,160 --> 00:22:03,640 Speaker 3: Were not the musician Santana, No, how much more fun 416 00:22:03,680 --> 00:22:04,000 Speaker 3: would be. 417 00:22:04,320 --> 00:22:08,320 Speaker 2: He discovered its Santana found dinosaur bones, just named it. 418 00:22:08,440 --> 00:22:13,120 Speaker 3: Yeah, and he's like, this is the Santana Raptor. Well, 419 00:22:13,400 --> 00:22:16,160 Speaker 3: this Rob Thomas and I discovered this on old walk. 420 00:22:17,200 --> 00:22:21,679 Speaker 2: Go on. This Santana raptor is a small Tyranna sarah 421 00:22:21,880 --> 00:22:28,239 Speaker 2: royd Tyranna tyranna what enough Tyranna sauroid tyrannaceroid. I'm sounded out. 422 00:22:30,320 --> 00:22:34,840 Speaker 2: This is why I'm t rex is cool, theropod dinosaur 423 00:22:35,760 --> 00:22:38,560 Speaker 2: And if that means anything to you, congratulations. But it 424 00:22:38,640 --> 00:22:41,080 Speaker 2: kind of looks like a cute little t rex hands. 425 00:22:41,680 --> 00:22:41,880 Speaker 3: Yeah. 426 00:22:42,000 --> 00:22:48,320 Speaker 2: So the investigation on Operation Santana Raptor is something different. 427 00:22:48,480 --> 00:22:51,200 Speaker 2: This all came about after a tip to local authorities 428 00:22:51,240 --> 00:22:55,639 Speaker 2: in twenty seventeen about the illegal exporting, uh and trading 429 00:22:55,720 --> 00:23:00,879 Speaker 2: of fossils from the area of Nova Olinda and Santana 430 00:23:00,960 --> 00:23:03,760 Speaker 2: do Karili. You know those places. 431 00:23:04,040 --> 00:23:04,399 Speaker 3: Of course. 432 00:23:04,800 --> 00:23:09,640 Speaker 2: A fossil trafficking network was then discovered in Siattra, northeastern 433 00:23:09,720 --> 00:23:14,640 Speaker 2: state of Brazil. If you say so, totally Brazilians. Don't 434 00:23:14,680 --> 00:23:17,359 Speaker 2: even try coming at me. I know I'm messing everything up. 435 00:23:18,440 --> 00:23:21,520 Speaker 2: So this has been going on under the radar for decades. 436 00:23:21,920 --> 00:23:24,199 Speaker 2: Portuguese to leave me alone. I know I'm a mess up. 437 00:23:25,040 --> 00:23:29,080 Speaker 2: Operations Santana Raptor launched in late October of twenty twenty 438 00:23:29,200 --> 00:23:34,680 Speaker 2: in a northern region of Brazil, which one Chapata Dori 439 00:23:35,640 --> 00:23:41,159 Speaker 2: let it roll, I got it wrong, REPIRIPI left a 440 00:23:41,200 --> 00:23:41,919 Speaker 2: syllable out. 441 00:23:41,880 --> 00:23:44,120 Speaker 3: Okay, right, I think that the locals will be impressed 442 00:23:44,920 --> 00:23:46,040 Speaker 3: so hard good. 443 00:23:46,040 --> 00:23:46,800 Speaker 2: I'm just not good in it. 444 00:23:46,960 --> 00:23:47,920 Speaker 3: Tongue doesn't make these sounds. 445 00:23:48,000 --> 00:23:49,959 Speaker 2: No, and I'm just not good enough for like Brazil 446 00:23:50,040 --> 00:23:56,600 Speaker 2: level operations. The area super rich with fossils, just bustling 447 00:23:56,680 --> 00:24:01,000 Speaker 2: with fossils, just foss Of the fifty species of pterosaurs 448 00:24:01,119 --> 00:24:04,399 Speaker 2: described in the world, twenty three were identified in the 449 00:24:04,480 --> 00:24:08,600 Speaker 2: AAR Ripi Plateau. Damn. Yeah, twenty three fifty put some 450 00:24:08,720 --> 00:24:14,040 Speaker 2: respect on a Brazilian federal police. They got nineteen search 451 00:24:14,119 --> 00:24:18,680 Speaker 2: warrants after the like on this sting for traffickers. That 452 00:24:18,840 --> 00:24:21,359 Speaker 2: was really nothing, though, because the area is so huge, 453 00:24:21,560 --> 00:24:24,720 Speaker 2: It's six times larger than South palo and they just 454 00:24:24,760 --> 00:24:27,200 Speaker 2: couldn't get a handle on the magnitude of the operation. 455 00:24:27,720 --> 00:24:30,280 Speaker 2: So fossil trafficking doesn't get a whole lot of attention, 456 00:24:31,200 --> 00:24:37,439 Speaker 2: Nicholas Cage. The drug trade is more immediate and sexyh 457 00:24:37,440 --> 00:24:40,040 Speaker 2: of course, you know. It does, however, have super high 458 00:24:40,080 --> 00:24:43,680 Speaker 2: profits for the smugglers, so despite the laws and the 459 00:24:43,920 --> 00:24:46,119 Speaker 2: special operations, the risk totally worth it. 460 00:24:46,240 --> 00:24:47,439 Speaker 3: Also way fewer guns. 461 00:24:47,640 --> 00:24:49,560 Speaker 2: Yeah, well, we would hope you're less. 462 00:24:49,520 --> 00:24:51,680 Speaker 3: Likely to be killed by a dinosaur hunter. 463 00:24:51,760 --> 00:24:55,000 Speaker 2: Clunked over the headna you never hear about like dino 464 00:24:55,080 --> 00:24:55,840 Speaker 2: bone cartels. 465 00:24:56,080 --> 00:24:59,240 Speaker 3: There's a lot of reasons to listen am I wrong. 466 00:25:00,840 --> 00:25:05,480 Speaker 2: Operations Santana Raptor focused on businessmen, civil servants and middlemen 467 00:25:06,080 --> 00:25:08,960 Speaker 2: involved in the illegal trading of rare fossils. And you 468 00:25:09,040 --> 00:25:12,159 Speaker 2: didn't have to be a palaeontologist to discover fossils in 469 00:25:12,240 --> 00:25:16,840 Speaker 2: this area. Pieces of archaeological value, which is super easy 470 00:25:16,880 --> 00:25:18,359 Speaker 2: to find, you like, trip over it, like. 471 00:25:18,440 --> 00:25:21,119 Speaker 3: Rock climbers are finding them, and it's jungle guides well. 472 00:25:21,080 --> 00:25:23,600 Speaker 2: And it's especially true in limestone extraction. 473 00:25:23,800 --> 00:25:25,720 Speaker 3: Oh yes, definitely the watch so yeah. 474 00:25:25,560 --> 00:25:27,320 Speaker 2: The rare fossils end up in the hands of the 475 00:25:27,359 --> 00:25:29,920 Speaker 2: workers as they're you know, cutting out the limestone, and 476 00:25:30,040 --> 00:25:32,920 Speaker 2: those workers learned to identify, you know, when they found 477 00:25:32,960 --> 00:25:36,560 Speaker 2: a really good one. So quote many years ago, there 478 00:25:36,600 --> 00:25:39,080 Speaker 2: were always people who sold it, but not now. Everything 479 00:25:39,119 --> 00:25:42,240 Speaker 2: has changed. No one sells it anymore. Now. We always 480 00:25:42,280 --> 00:25:44,760 Speaker 2: find it and donate it to the company's warehouse, where 481 00:25:44,840 --> 00:25:47,800 Speaker 2: university students come and the boss delivers it for their studies. 482 00:25:48,160 --> 00:25:51,240 Speaker 2: Says jose gomas La Casta, a stonecutter. 483 00:25:51,600 --> 00:25:52,159 Speaker 3: I believe them. 484 00:25:52,200 --> 00:25:54,959 Speaker 2: I believe him, although I don't believe a warehouse. Hey, 485 00:25:55,040 --> 00:25:56,560 Speaker 2: I just put him in the company warehouse. 486 00:25:56,640 --> 00:25:58,720 Speaker 3: I believe that what he wants to be. To belief. 487 00:25:58,840 --> 00:25:59,119 Speaker 3: Why not. 488 00:25:59,240 --> 00:26:02,480 Speaker 2: It's more fun these limestone quarries, right, they're kicking out 489 00:26:02,480 --> 00:26:05,560 Speaker 2: all these dino bones. There are almost a hundred of 490 00:26:05,600 --> 00:26:07,000 Speaker 2: them in this region. 491 00:26:08,119 --> 00:26:08,439 Speaker 3: Quarries. 492 00:26:08,560 --> 00:26:12,160 Speaker 2: Yeah, and so, one researcher said, quote as a rule, 493 00:26:12,440 --> 00:26:16,080 Speaker 2: laminated limestone workers do not earn well, so anything that 494 00:26:16,200 --> 00:26:18,800 Speaker 2: appears that can supplement their income is a reason for 495 00:26:18,960 --> 00:26:22,080 Speaker 2: joy for them. However, it's a loss to Brazilian heritage. 496 00:26:22,359 --> 00:26:25,200 Speaker 3: I hope that the company would at least credit them 497 00:26:25,359 --> 00:26:28,680 Speaker 3: with some kind of bonus. The dinosaur bone they put 498 00:26:28,720 --> 00:26:30,440 Speaker 3: their name on it, like, oh, this is the hose. 499 00:26:30,600 --> 00:26:32,760 Speaker 2: They're not going to do that unless the company's making line. 500 00:26:32,840 --> 00:26:34,400 Speaker 3: Sure, I know, but the company whatever. 501 00:26:34,280 --> 00:26:39,080 Speaker 2: Yeah, I know. Remember, where there are people, there is crime, 502 00:26:39,920 --> 00:26:42,600 Speaker 2: and so fossils are not always delivered to the right people. 503 00:26:43,160 --> 00:26:48,159 Speaker 2: Even a professor at the Federal University of Rio de 504 00:26:48,320 --> 00:26:52,960 Speaker 2: jan Nio was under investigations. He allegedly paid bribes on 505 00:26:53,000 --> 00:26:55,800 Speaker 2: a monthly basis to local quarry workers who were digging 506 00:26:55,840 --> 00:26:56,840 Speaker 2: this stuff up illegally. 507 00:26:57,160 --> 00:27:01,520 Speaker 3: He was paying monthly bribes. He's chiefs, brave diggers, like 508 00:27:01,640 --> 00:27:02,400 Speaker 3: give me the goodbyes. 509 00:27:02,440 --> 00:27:03,200 Speaker 2: You get them on retainer. 510 00:27:03,280 --> 00:27:05,040 Speaker 3: Yeah, I got like six guys, seven guys over there. 511 00:27:05,119 --> 00:27:09,680 Speaker 2: Local police chief Alan Robson. Alexandrino Ramos said, quote, the 512 00:27:09,800 --> 00:27:12,399 Speaker 2: quarry workers and the middlemen were in close contact with 513 00:27:12,480 --> 00:27:16,640 Speaker 2: the professor, who funded regular expeditions. When you find a fossil, 514 00:27:16,680 --> 00:27:19,880 Speaker 2: the correct procedure is to contact the National Mining Agency 515 00:27:19,960 --> 00:27:22,159 Speaker 2: and let them know. Yeah, but these guys come on 516 00:27:22,320 --> 00:27:23,320 Speaker 2: and there are they going to pay you? 517 00:27:23,440 --> 00:27:26,000 Speaker 3: No, we're also not supposed to speed when we drive exactly. 518 00:27:26,640 --> 00:27:30,840 Speaker 2: So, crime syndicates have been illegally smuggling fossils from Siattra, 519 00:27:31,240 --> 00:27:34,400 Speaker 2: where Chapada du Aripe is located. 520 00:27:34,480 --> 00:27:36,639 Speaker 3: So actually the syndicates get involved, it's not just random 521 00:27:36,720 --> 00:27:39,240 Speaker 3: professors going off to the only Hinti person they know. 522 00:27:39,440 --> 00:27:41,639 Speaker 2: Then we're into the cartel at all. There we go 523 00:27:42,240 --> 00:27:47,119 Speaker 2: and buyers are found throughout the US, Europe, Japan. Between 524 00:27:47,200 --> 00:27:49,680 Speaker 2: nineteen ninety eight and two thousand and eight, over thirty 525 00:27:49,720 --> 00:27:53,000 Speaker 2: two thousand fossils have been seized by officials in Seattle. 526 00:27:53,119 --> 00:27:55,120 Speaker 3: Did you say thirty two thousand, thirty. 527 00:27:54,880 --> 00:27:57,000 Speaker 2: Two thousand fossils in ten years? 528 00:27:57,160 --> 00:27:59,000 Speaker 3: Full fossil, not just bones. Lie. 529 00:28:00,000 --> 00:28:03,119 Speaker 2: The government was working to stop the fossils from leaving Brazil. 530 00:28:03,359 --> 00:28:05,159 Speaker 2: But what about the ones that are already out there? 531 00:28:05,320 --> 00:28:06,480 Speaker 3: What about them, Elizabeth? 532 00:28:06,560 --> 00:28:11,320 Speaker 2: I'll tell you something. Palaeontologists love to dig, and they 533 00:28:11,440 --> 00:28:13,399 Speaker 2: love to us seek out the truth that's hiding in 534 00:28:13,480 --> 00:28:17,080 Speaker 2: places often overlooked. If you have a mystery, I feel 535 00:28:17,119 --> 00:28:19,399 Speaker 2: like a paleontologist is a good resource to have, do 536 00:28:19,480 --> 00:28:22,800 Speaker 2: you think so. Yeah, And since the illegal fossil trade 537 00:28:22,880 --> 00:28:25,960 Speaker 2: isn't as flashy and attention grabbing as other illicit trades, 538 00:28:26,000 --> 00:28:30,240 Speaker 2: the paleontologists they often have to track this stuff down themselves. 539 00:28:30,359 --> 00:28:33,680 Speaker 3: Oh yeah, they're like beneath the like wild animal smugglers. 540 00:28:33,720 --> 00:28:35,600 Speaker 3: They're like, can we get some atten? Ours are dead, 541 00:28:35,640 --> 00:28:36,760 Speaker 3: but can we get some attention? 542 00:28:37,040 --> 00:28:41,640 Speaker 2: Listen? Zaren, Yeah, close your eyes. Oh yes, I want 543 00:28:41,720 --> 00:28:46,080 Speaker 2: you to picture it. It's twenty nineteen. You are previously 544 00:28:46,200 --> 00:28:50,920 Speaker 2: mentioned badass paleontologist Tesa Rodriguez of Brazil's Federal University of 545 00:28:51,120 --> 00:28:52,000 Speaker 2: Espiritu Santo. 546 00:28:52,280 --> 00:28:52,640 Speaker 3: Look at me. 547 00:28:52,840 --> 00:28:56,160 Speaker 2: There it is there. You are typing away at your 548 00:28:56,200 --> 00:28:59,719 Speaker 2: computer doing one of your special investigations. You finish off 549 00:28:59,760 --> 00:29:02,280 Speaker 2: your latte, sucking in the last of the coffee at 550 00:29:02,280 --> 00:29:04,479 Speaker 2: the bottom of the cup through a straw. It's been 551 00:29:04,560 --> 00:29:06,720 Speaker 2: a long day. You have other stuff to do, but 552 00:29:06,840 --> 00:29:09,720 Speaker 2: this is more important. You're on the hunt. There's a 553 00:29:09,800 --> 00:29:12,560 Speaker 2: knock at your office door. Come back later, you call. 554 00:29:12,960 --> 00:29:14,840 Speaker 2: You take a deep breath and you click through some 555 00:29:14,960 --> 00:29:18,800 Speaker 2: web pages. Then you spot it. You're on eBay. You 556 00:29:18,920 --> 00:29:22,160 Speaker 2: are looking for fossils, fossils that should be in Brazil 557 00:29:22,360 --> 00:29:25,000 Speaker 2: and not up for auction by some clown. And you 558 00:29:25,160 --> 00:29:29,480 Speaker 2: see one, an incredible one. It's almost an entire skeleton 559 00:29:29,520 --> 00:29:33,760 Speaker 2: of a pterosaur, a wingspan of about thirteen feet. You 560 00:29:33,920 --> 00:29:37,800 Speaker 2: know this piece. It's from the Araripe plateau, and you 561 00:29:38,040 --> 00:29:40,520 Speaker 2: know that it was smuggled out of Brazil between nineteen 562 00:29:40,560 --> 00:29:45,080 Speaker 2: eighty and nineteen ninety, which predates Operation Santana raptor where 563 00:29:45,200 --> 00:29:49,520 Speaker 2: is it now? France? And they are asking two hundred 564 00:29:49,560 --> 00:29:51,200 Speaker 2: and fifty thousand dollars for it? 565 00:29:51,480 --> 00:29:53,040 Speaker 3: Have they lost their ever love it? 566 00:29:53,640 --> 00:29:56,400 Speaker 2: You know, it's worth at least twice that you ring 567 00:29:56,520 --> 00:29:59,120 Speaker 2: up your contact at the Federal Public Ministry of Brazil. 568 00:30:00,000 --> 00:30:02,560 Speaker 2: While the phone rings, you print up the listing for 569 00:30:02,640 --> 00:30:05,320 Speaker 2: the fossil in case they delete the sale got them. 570 00:30:05,320 --> 00:30:08,080 Speaker 2: When you tell your contact, you email her the link 571 00:30:08,160 --> 00:30:10,400 Speaker 2: to the listing and you wait time to bring this 572 00:30:10,640 --> 00:30:14,560 Speaker 2: baby home. I think it's amazing that while the paleontologists 573 00:30:14,560 --> 00:30:19,400 Speaker 2: are underfunded and underrecognized in Brazil, they are undeterred badasses. 574 00:30:19,480 --> 00:30:23,080 Speaker 2: You're a badass erin so the company that owned the 575 00:30:23,200 --> 00:30:27,800 Speaker 2: terosaur initially presented a document to the French court that 576 00:30:27,920 --> 00:30:31,479 Speaker 2: supposedly proved the legality of their possession of the fossil, 577 00:30:31,800 --> 00:30:34,720 Speaker 2: but evidence that was gathered by the Federal Public Ministry 578 00:30:34,760 --> 00:30:38,840 Speaker 2: in Brazil showed that that documentation was false forgeries. So 579 00:30:38,960 --> 00:30:40,960 Speaker 2: the French authorities were called in. They went to the 580 00:30:41,040 --> 00:30:45,840 Speaker 2: company and they searched and seized the terosaur quote in 581 00:30:45,960 --> 00:30:49,520 Speaker 2: a container that was transporting courts. They found hundreds of 582 00:30:49,600 --> 00:30:52,960 Speaker 2: fossils from all over the world, said Raphael Rayol, the 583 00:30:53,040 --> 00:30:57,520 Speaker 2: prosecutor responsible for the investigation. They discovered the existence of 584 00:30:57,560 --> 00:31:04,320 Speaker 2: another forty five fossils, which included sea turtles, arachnids, fish, reptiles, insects, plants, 585 00:31:04,640 --> 00:31:07,680 Speaker 2: all of them millions of years old in this supposed 586 00:31:07,800 --> 00:31:12,000 Speaker 2: container of quartz quote. There are many stores that sell 587 00:31:12,080 --> 00:31:15,520 Speaker 2: fossils in the USA and Europe. It's a reasonably common sale, 588 00:31:15,640 --> 00:31:19,880 Speaker 2: said Taysa you Saren. She also said that the repatriation 589 00:31:20,120 --> 00:31:23,000 Speaker 2: of fossils is usually hard and that the case in 590 00:31:23,160 --> 00:31:29,400 Speaker 2: question is exceptional. Good job, taysen Z. So when they 591 00:31:29,480 --> 00:31:31,920 Speaker 2: got back to Brazil, the recovered pieces became part of 592 00:31:31,960 --> 00:31:35,080 Speaker 2: the collection of the Museum of Paleontology at the Regional 593 00:31:35,240 --> 00:31:40,040 Speaker 2: University of Kaririri, and that houses about eleven thousand fossils there. 594 00:31:41,000 --> 00:31:45,920 Speaker 2: Operation Santana Raptor, though, wasn't the only investigation into these crimes. 595 00:31:46,360 --> 00:31:50,840 Speaker 2: There was Operation Cardoom in April of twenty thirteen, and 596 00:31:50,960 --> 00:31:53,400 Speaker 2: in that case, the government was seeking to retrieve known 597 00:31:53,520 --> 00:31:56,320 Speaker 2: fossils and found them at a guy's house and he 598 00:31:56,560 --> 00:31:58,040 Speaker 2: was selling them to craft stores. 599 00:31:58,600 --> 00:32:00,560 Speaker 3: Oh like a Michael's. 600 00:32:00,680 --> 00:32:05,040 Speaker 2: Maybe Michael's hobby lobby. No hate mail hob no hobby lobby. 601 00:32:05,920 --> 00:32:07,440 Speaker 2: There was Operation. 602 00:32:07,200 --> 00:32:10,800 Speaker 3: Munich later that year that articaprio totally. 603 00:32:11,360 --> 00:32:15,600 Speaker 2: It was directed by Steven Steele, so that one recovered 604 00:32:15,680 --> 00:32:19,120 Speaker 2: semi precious stones and fossils, and the government had seven 605 00:32:19,200 --> 00:32:23,240 Speaker 2: arrest warrants, nine search warrants all across Brazil, somewhere in stores, 606 00:32:23,320 --> 00:32:27,240 Speaker 2: somewhere in warehouses, and more than two thousand fossils and artifacts. 607 00:32:27,280 --> 00:32:28,720 Speaker 2: We received a lot. 608 00:32:29,200 --> 00:32:31,160 Speaker 3: I've got to believe one of these investigations is going 609 00:32:31,240 --> 00:32:33,080 Speaker 3: to lead to Nicholas Cage's house. 610 00:32:33,320 --> 00:32:37,320 Speaker 2: I mean, I mean, well, how about Operation Flintstones. 611 00:32:37,680 --> 00:32:38,240 Speaker 3: Are you kidding? 612 00:32:38,240 --> 00:32:40,200 Speaker 2: No, I'm not kidding. It's an amazing name. That's top 613 00:32:40,280 --> 00:32:40,880 Speaker 2: shelf right there. 614 00:32:40,920 --> 00:32:42,240 Speaker 3: Oh yeah, top shelf cuties. 615 00:32:42,360 --> 00:32:46,360 Speaker 2: Yeah. August twenty fifteen, this operation went full flintstones and 616 00:32:46,480 --> 00:32:51,000 Speaker 2: recovered stolen fossils and artifacts from caves across Brazil. Yes, yes, 617 00:32:51,920 --> 00:32:54,560 Speaker 2: so there were some frequent flyers in this group of 618 00:32:54,760 --> 00:32:58,360 Speaker 2: captured crooks. One of them was a German geologist named 619 00:32:58,600 --> 00:33:04,760 Speaker 2: Michael Lothar Schwickert. He was busted twice by the federal police. 620 00:33:05,160 --> 00:33:08,479 Speaker 2: He answered two police inquiries, but then he was released 621 00:33:08,520 --> 00:33:10,920 Speaker 2: and just dipped out of Brazil, just left the country. 622 00:33:11,080 --> 00:33:13,840 Speaker 3: His middle name of Lothar, that's one of those names 623 00:33:13,840 --> 00:33:16,280 Speaker 3: that sticks with me because of the old snl skit 624 00:33:16,360 --> 00:33:21,000 Speaker 3: of a loath Ar, of the who people see. This 625 00:33:21,040 --> 00:33:22,320 Speaker 3: is what happened to one line. 626 00:33:23,960 --> 00:33:30,640 Speaker 2: According to a researcher at the Paleontology Laboratory at the 627 00:33:30,800 --> 00:33:36,400 Speaker 2: University of Kariri, Lothar is quote a customary seller of 628 00:33:36,520 --> 00:33:40,560 Speaker 2: fossils from Chippata du al a ripe to collectors, researchers, 629 00:33:40,720 --> 00:33:42,720 Speaker 2: universities and museums around the world. 630 00:33:43,080 --> 00:33:46,200 Speaker 3: So he just breezes and buys up some stolen dinosaur bones, 631 00:33:46,320 --> 00:33:48,200 Speaker 3: goes to Hong Kong, sells them for top. 632 00:33:48,120 --> 00:33:52,360 Speaker 2: Dollars exactly, and Lothar very familiar with the fossil basin, 633 00:33:52,440 --> 00:33:57,080 Speaker 2: the Alaripe fossil base, more than most this researcher Alamo 634 00:33:57,280 --> 00:34:01,600 Speaker 2: Saraiva called him quote a great fossil prepare the best 635 00:34:01,720 --> 00:34:06,720 Speaker 2: I've ever seen. He's a specialist in quote cutting cut 636 00:34:06,920 --> 00:34:09,360 Speaker 2: edystone taken from the laminated limestone. 637 00:34:09,560 --> 00:34:10,960 Speaker 3: She was really good at cutting limestone. 638 00:34:11,040 --> 00:34:16,200 Speaker 2: He's a great limestone top shelf. Twenty seventeen, three tourists 639 00:34:16,440 --> 00:34:19,440 Speaker 2: were arrested in the Act. They were carrying a fossil 640 00:34:19,520 --> 00:34:23,680 Speaker 2: each in their hand luggage and the airport X ray 641 00:34:23,800 --> 00:34:25,600 Speaker 2: caught their loop. They're like, why do you have a 642 00:34:25,680 --> 00:34:29,880 Speaker 2: big lady, lady? They said they didn't know that smuggling 643 00:34:29,920 --> 00:34:31,120 Speaker 2: fossils was a crime. 644 00:34:31,280 --> 00:34:32,239 Speaker 3: Is not legal. 645 00:34:32,360 --> 00:34:33,319 Speaker 2: I thought this was fine. 646 00:34:33,400 --> 00:34:35,120 Speaker 3: I thought it's like, if you can lift it, you 647 00:34:35,200 --> 00:34:36,200 Speaker 3: can take it exactly. 648 00:34:37,040 --> 00:34:39,160 Speaker 2: Let's take a break and when we come back, we'll 649 00:34:39,200 --> 00:34:41,359 Speaker 2: talk about how we got here in the first place. 650 00:35:02,200 --> 00:35:04,719 Speaker 3: So Zarin, Yes, I was just trying to measure these 651 00:35:04,760 --> 00:35:07,919 Speaker 3: dinosaur bones to see if they'd fit in my overhead bag. 652 00:35:08,080 --> 00:35:08,879 Speaker 3: So I think they will. 653 00:35:08,960 --> 00:35:11,879 Speaker 2: I'm in luck, perfect perfect. Just make sure you wrap 654 00:35:11,960 --> 00:35:13,560 Speaker 2: them in enough stuff so they don't get. 655 00:35:13,560 --> 00:35:15,600 Speaker 3: I should probably not have these be checked, otherwise they're 656 00:35:15,600 --> 00:35:17,760 Speaker 3: gonna go through X ray. Darn perfect. 657 00:35:18,760 --> 00:35:22,640 Speaker 2: So we got us some smugglers looting Brazilian land. 658 00:35:22,440 --> 00:35:26,360 Speaker 3: For fossils, dinosaurs, smuggler blues, and. 659 00:35:26,600 --> 00:35:31,040 Speaker 2: They're almost always smuggled out, generally to Europe. The US 660 00:35:31,120 --> 00:35:34,000 Speaker 2: scientists tend to stick to the stuff unearthed on homes. 661 00:35:34,239 --> 00:35:39,640 Speaker 2: We got plenty, and the Japanese are sticklers for proper paperwork. 662 00:35:39,160 --> 00:35:40,880 Speaker 3: And provenas oh I could see that. 663 00:35:41,040 --> 00:35:45,759 Speaker 2: So what gives right? Colonization It all started there, not 664 00:35:45,920 --> 00:35:49,400 Speaker 2: that old bugaboo. So back in the day, imperial powers 665 00:35:49,440 --> 00:35:52,280 Speaker 2: took fossils from their colonies to their homes for study 666 00:35:52,440 --> 00:35:54,240 Speaker 2: and to place on exhibits. 667 00:35:53,920 --> 00:35:57,160 Speaker 3: And not just fossils Elizabeth, Well, that's a whole other 668 00:35:57,680 --> 00:35:59,360 Speaker 3: It was kind of a colonial mindset we take and 669 00:35:59,440 --> 00:35:59,920 Speaker 3: we take home. 670 00:36:00,040 --> 00:36:05,800 Speaker 2: Yeah, so the practice indoors. There's a researcher, doctor Raja Shub, 671 00:36:06,040 --> 00:36:12,200 Speaker 2: a paleontologist from the Erlingen Nuremberg University in Germany. Quote. Now, 672 00:36:12,440 --> 00:36:16,360 Speaker 2: what is happening is parachute science, where scientists from the 673 00:36:16,480 --> 00:36:20,880 Speaker 2: richer countries go to poorer countries, collect fossils and information 674 00:36:21,080 --> 00:36:23,799 Speaker 2: and then take them to their institutions where they study them. 675 00:36:24,160 --> 00:36:27,320 Speaker 2: There isn't an exchange of knowledge with local researchers similar 676 00:36:27,360 --> 00:36:29,040 Speaker 2: to what happened during the colonial era. 677 00:36:29,360 --> 00:36:32,359 Speaker 3: Yeah, it's kind of like you know when they offer people, 678 00:36:33,040 --> 00:36:34,399 Speaker 3: we're not going to pay you, We're going to give 679 00:36:34,400 --> 00:36:36,680 Speaker 3: you free exposure. Oh my god, they're giving the country 680 00:36:36,760 --> 00:36:38,880 Speaker 3: free exposure, like we're going to let everyone know we 681 00:36:38,960 --> 00:36:40,439 Speaker 3: got the bones here. It's cool, it's cool. 682 00:36:40,600 --> 00:36:44,000 Speaker 2: Well, many paleontologists they take these natural resources, they don't 683 00:36:44,080 --> 00:36:47,160 Speaker 2: leave anything behind, and that takes away from local knowledge 684 00:36:47,239 --> 00:36:48,480 Speaker 2: and educational training. 685 00:36:48,560 --> 00:36:49,920 Speaker 3: But they oh, we taught them how to dig, and 686 00:36:49,960 --> 00:36:51,680 Speaker 3: we taught them the skills, so now they can do 687 00:36:51,800 --> 00:36:52,120 Speaker 3: this too. 688 00:36:52,800 --> 00:36:56,800 Speaker 2: Raja Shub elaborates quote the fact that paleontologists are not 689 00:36:56,960 --> 00:36:59,840 Speaker 2: trained to think about ethics and laws in general. His 690 00:37:00,120 --> 00:37:03,680 Speaker 2: created a black market for scientists. So this is why 691 00:37:03,760 --> 00:37:06,000 Speaker 2: you can't just have STEM. You have to have a 692 00:37:06,080 --> 00:37:09,520 Speaker 2: full liberal arts education, so you take like an ethics slash. Yeah. So, 693 00:37:10,040 --> 00:37:14,480 Speaker 2: Raja Shube is one of seven paleontologists who study parachute science. 694 00:37:15,040 --> 00:37:18,279 Speaker 2: According to Science Friday, quote, parachute science is a term 695 00:37:18,360 --> 00:37:21,880 Speaker 2: describing how researchers sometimes drop down from an ivory tower 696 00:37:22,320 --> 00:37:25,360 Speaker 2: into in the wealthy Western world, into a foreign community 697 00:37:25,440 --> 00:37:27,920 Speaker 2: for field work. They gather their data and then they 698 00:37:28,040 --> 00:37:32,120 Speaker 2: zip off home without engaging with or acknowledging the contributions 699 00:37:32,160 --> 00:37:35,800 Speaker 2: of the local researchers in that community. Parachute science totally. 700 00:37:36,080 --> 00:37:40,359 Speaker 3: So you say science Friday, Yeah, yeah, so good, Ira, 701 00:37:40,800 --> 00:37:41,239 Speaker 3: I love it. 702 00:37:41,800 --> 00:37:44,279 Speaker 2: Despite the fact that the richest fossil sites in the 703 00:37:44,360 --> 00:37:47,799 Speaker 2: world are in developing countries, over the last thirty years, 704 00:37:48,120 --> 00:37:50,960 Speaker 2: ninety seven percent of fossil data has been produced by 705 00:37:51,040 --> 00:37:56,000 Speaker 2: scientists in wealthy countries. Raja Shube notes, quote our finding 706 00:37:56,120 --> 00:38:00,120 Speaker 2: show that colonial history and economics influence patterns that weber 707 00:38:00,239 --> 00:38:03,279 Speaker 2: in paleontology. To see it so clearly through the data 708 00:38:03,480 --> 00:38:06,719 Speaker 2: was the biggest surprise for everyone. So the US is 709 00:38:06,760 --> 00:38:09,319 Speaker 2: the country who studies the most fossils, but like I said, 710 00:38:10,040 --> 00:38:12,080 Speaker 2: the studies show that the US is also the country 711 00:38:12,120 --> 00:38:13,960 Speaker 2: who studied fossils that were collected from home. 712 00:38:14,040 --> 00:38:15,800 Speaker 3: Yeah, we get hih on our own supplies totally. 713 00:38:16,400 --> 00:38:19,399 Speaker 2: Germany, the UK and France are next on the list 714 00:38:19,480 --> 00:38:22,480 Speaker 2: of top fossil investigators, but they're also the top countries 715 00:38:22,560 --> 00:38:27,040 Speaker 2: for exploitation of scientific resources in third world countries and 716 00:38:27,160 --> 00:38:30,040 Speaker 2: they ice out the locals too. This is what doctor 717 00:38:30,160 --> 00:38:34,000 Speaker 2: Raja Schub said, quote. I think that researchers from the 718 00:38:34,040 --> 00:38:36,760 Speaker 2: whole world, especially the ones from the richest countries, should 719 00:38:36,800 --> 00:38:39,640 Speaker 2: think about the consequences of not being committed to local 720 00:38:39,719 --> 00:38:43,520 Speaker 2: communities and to a country's researchers when they're researching abroad. 721 00:38:44,160 --> 00:38:48,840 Speaker 2: Juan Carlos is Naros of Brazil's Federal University of Piaui explains, quote, 722 00:38:49,400 --> 00:38:52,880 Speaker 2: there is an enormous asymmetry in archaeology. This problem is 723 00:38:52,960 --> 00:38:56,920 Speaker 2: discussed in museums too, but in paleontology it's taboo. We 724 00:38:57,080 --> 00:38:59,520 Speaker 2: have to talk about this because it exists, not sweep 725 00:38:59,560 --> 00:39:02,400 Speaker 2: it under the rug. And then he explains the importance 726 00:39:02,440 --> 00:39:06,000 Speaker 2: of place. Paleontology is a science that depends a lot 727 00:39:06,080 --> 00:39:09,080 Speaker 2: on the context of where everything is found. If you 728 00:39:09,160 --> 00:39:12,640 Speaker 2: find a dinosaur in Brazil, you won't just excavate that dinosaur. 729 00:39:12,960 --> 00:39:15,960 Speaker 2: You will see everything around it, fossils of other species, 730 00:39:16,040 --> 00:39:18,640 Speaker 2: where it came from, from what level. When you get 731 00:39:18,680 --> 00:39:21,200 Speaker 2: a fossil on the black market, all of that is lost. 732 00:39:21,560 --> 00:39:25,080 Speaker 2: Sometimes the fossils have even been adulterated. That information gets 733 00:39:25,160 --> 00:39:27,560 Speaker 2: lost and it can't be recovered. It's bad science. 734 00:39:28,440 --> 00:39:32,000 Speaker 3: It's interesting how many times all these stories ultimately come down. 735 00:39:32,000 --> 00:39:34,040 Speaker 3: Every simple question is if we can only get the 736 00:39:34,120 --> 00:39:36,080 Speaker 3: adults to learn how to share right. 737 00:39:36,880 --> 00:39:41,680 Speaker 2: Another mark on the scientific community is blood amber. Oh yeah, yeah, 738 00:39:41,719 --> 00:39:46,000 Speaker 2: So fossils trapped in amber a beautifully preserved see Jurassic Park. 739 00:39:46,760 --> 00:39:49,040 Speaker 2: But like blood diamonds, a lot of that amber is 740 00:39:49,080 --> 00:39:52,200 Speaker 2: gathered and sold to fund violent conflicts in other countries. 741 00:39:52,680 --> 00:39:57,280 Speaker 2: The Society for of Vertebrate Paleontology, which is the largest 742 00:39:57,280 --> 00:40:00,840 Speaker 2: body of professional paleontologists in the world, they called for 743 00:40:00,960 --> 00:40:03,880 Speaker 2: a moratorium in April of twenty twenty on the publication 744 00:40:04,200 --> 00:40:06,480 Speaker 2: of fossils that might have been sold to fuel the 745 00:40:06,520 --> 00:40:11,160 Speaker 2: genocide Myanmar. Oh wow, So the mines where amber fossils 746 00:40:11,200 --> 00:40:16,480 Speaker 2: are found are all controlled by Myanmar military, and it's 747 00:40:16,760 --> 00:40:20,080 Speaker 2: they who've committed acts of genocide against the country's Muslim 748 00:40:20,160 --> 00:40:20,839 Speaker 2: Rohinga people. 749 00:40:20,960 --> 00:40:24,399 Speaker 3: Oh, it's like a wildlife smuggling or narco trafficking. You're 750 00:40:24,400 --> 00:40:26,360 Speaker 3: going to find disproportionately crime in. 751 00:40:26,360 --> 00:40:28,800 Speaker 2: Those businesses, exactly. And so by selling the amber for 752 00:40:28,880 --> 00:40:33,040 Speaker 2: a high price, the researchers are essentially funding genocide. So 753 00:40:33,320 --> 00:40:35,680 Speaker 2: while so much can be learned about us today and 754 00:40:35,800 --> 00:40:39,000 Speaker 2: our future on the planet by studying dinosaurs and other fossils, 755 00:40:39,400 --> 00:40:42,719 Speaker 2: it's not the stuffy, pure pursuit. It may seem you know, 756 00:40:42,920 --> 00:40:47,000 Speaker 2: not at all, and there are, like anything we do, consequences. 757 00:40:47,840 --> 00:40:51,920 Speaker 2: But zaren, Yes, Elizabeth Zaren, what of Uberijara? Ah? 758 00:40:52,160 --> 00:40:54,520 Speaker 3: How many times do I say that to myself every. 759 00:40:54,400 --> 00:40:57,640 Speaker 2: Morning when you wake up. July nineteenth, twenty twenty two, 760 00:40:58,160 --> 00:41:01,400 Speaker 2: Germany announced that the specimen would be returned to Brazil. 761 00:41:01,640 --> 00:41:02,400 Speaker 3: Yeah, raise up. 762 00:41:02,560 --> 00:41:05,719 Speaker 2: Teresia Bauer, who leads the Ministry of Science, Research and 763 00:41:05,880 --> 00:41:10,040 Speaker 2: Arts for the German state of Baden Wurtenberg, told Science 764 00:41:10,160 --> 00:41:13,759 Speaker 2: magazine not just science in general. Quote, we have a 765 00:41:13,880 --> 00:41:16,520 Speaker 2: clear stance. If there are objects in the collections of 766 00:41:16,560 --> 00:41:21,400 Speaker 2: our museums that were acquired under legally or ethically unacceptable conditions, 767 00:41:21,440 --> 00:41:24,080 Speaker 2: we will return them. It is important that with the 768 00:41:24,160 --> 00:41:27,080 Speaker 2: return we send a clear signal about the correct handling 769 00:41:27,160 --> 00:41:31,640 Speaker 2: of collection items they're provenas and scientific honesty. Yes, and 770 00:41:31,840 --> 00:41:32,719 Speaker 2: also it stands to. 771 00:41:32,800 --> 00:41:35,640 Speaker 3: Take if you think, and you're in the business of paleontology, 772 00:41:35,640 --> 00:41:38,040 Speaker 3: and you think there's these other paleontologists across the pond 773 00:41:38,120 --> 00:41:40,800 Speaker 3: who aren't as good or don't have as the standards 774 00:41:40,840 --> 00:41:43,640 Speaker 3: you have, maybe help them with the standards as opposed 775 00:41:43,640 --> 00:41:45,200 Speaker 3: to going we've taken all their stuff. 776 00:41:45,360 --> 00:41:48,000 Speaker 2: Yeah, exactly, just to hear what you're. 777 00:41:47,880 --> 00:41:50,000 Speaker 3: Doing, Like try to once again, you'll hear me say 778 00:41:50,000 --> 00:41:53,480 Speaker 3: this often share knowledge or information, share what you know, 779 00:41:53,560 --> 00:41:55,239 Speaker 3: and then go hey, let's all share these bones that 780 00:41:55,320 --> 00:41:56,840 Speaker 3: we all are standing on top of. 781 00:41:57,040 --> 00:41:59,600 Speaker 2: Well, if we really believe that it's to advance humanity. 782 00:41:59,760 --> 00:42:03,880 Speaker 3: Yes, you know, there was no Brazil for dinosaurs, and 783 00:42:03,880 --> 00:42:06,840 Speaker 3: there was no Germany, so they would be like, I 784 00:42:06,840 --> 00:42:08,560 Speaker 3: don't know what y'all talking about, right, Well. 785 00:42:08,520 --> 00:42:12,520 Speaker 2: It's all just one thing, doctor Frey. He retired in 786 00:42:12,600 --> 00:42:15,480 Speaker 2: early twenty twenty two and told Science he wasn't allowed. 787 00:42:15,200 --> 00:42:17,120 Speaker 3: To comment on the story, just the whole field. 788 00:42:17,200 --> 00:42:21,160 Speaker 2: Yeah, he was like, hello, Science, But Bauer told German 789 00:42:21,200 --> 00:42:25,160 Speaker 2: newspaper BNN that the whole thing was scientific misconduct. At 790 00:42:25,200 --> 00:42:29,439 Speaker 2: the same time, neither the German Ministry nor SMNK took 791 00:42:29,520 --> 00:42:33,160 Speaker 2: disciplinary action against any of the researchers involved. 792 00:42:33,200 --> 00:42:35,279 Speaker 3: Seems to be very common in these stories when there's 793 00:42:35,320 --> 00:42:37,480 Speaker 3: not enough like blood or money, it's like and nothing 794 00:42:37,600 --> 00:42:37,919 Speaker 3: was done. 795 00:42:38,000 --> 00:42:43,640 Speaker 2: Nothing was done. So remember Allen Gilardi, the paleontologist at 796 00:42:43,680 --> 00:42:46,880 Speaker 2: the Federal University of Rio Grande. Did d nortek about it? 797 00:42:47,000 --> 00:42:50,920 Speaker 2: Forget her, No tre Dame Todm. She was the girl 798 00:42:51,320 --> 00:42:53,840 Speaker 2: She said of the return, quote, I am happy with 799 00:42:53,920 --> 00:42:56,680 Speaker 2: the outcome. We have taken another step towards the real 800 00:42:56,840 --> 00:43:00,600 Speaker 2: twenty first century science, which is getting rid and slowly 801 00:43:00,760 --> 00:43:02,840 Speaker 2: of colonialist ties and biases. 802 00:43:03,239 --> 00:43:06,120 Speaker 3: Amen. Amen, I'll be over here dropping mics at this 803 00:43:06,400 --> 00:43:06,960 Speaker 3: mic club. 804 00:43:08,000 --> 00:43:12,000 Speaker 2: So Germany's decision to return uberi Jara is seen as 805 00:43:12,040 --> 00:43:15,240 Speaker 2: a sort of victory against colonialism in the scientific community. 806 00:43:15,480 --> 00:43:16,280 Speaker 3: Good Germany. 807 00:43:16,360 --> 00:43:20,440 Speaker 2: Gilardi also said, quote European museums will not and should 808 00:43:20,480 --> 00:43:24,200 Speaker 2: not be emptied. Fair exchanges and collaborations can be made 809 00:43:24,280 --> 00:43:27,160 Speaker 2: so that everyone can share in the benefits that fossils 810 00:43:27,200 --> 00:43:27,720 Speaker 2: can offer. 811 00:43:27,920 --> 00:43:31,279 Speaker 3: There's that word, bring it on share not just a 812 00:43:31,400 --> 00:43:31,879 Speaker 3: pop star. 813 00:43:32,280 --> 00:43:35,640 Speaker 2: Smn CA says they're going to examine how it acquired 814 00:43:35,800 --> 00:43:41,960 Speaker 2: other fossils in the collection. Palaeontologist Felipe Pinero fought hard 815 00:43:42,120 --> 00:43:44,960 Speaker 2: for the return of the uberi Jara to Brazil. He 816 00:43:45,160 --> 00:43:50,320 Speaker 2: had a hashtag xeren serious, hashtagbri Jara belongs to br 817 00:43:51,200 --> 00:43:53,920 Speaker 2: and look what he did hashtag in a dreams to 818 00:43:54,040 --> 00:43:56,680 Speaker 2: his credit. So as to the Germans hanging on to 819 00:43:56,800 --> 00:44:01,240 Speaker 2: some forty other Brazil based fossils, Pinner had this to say, quote, 820 00:44:01,280 --> 00:44:04,560 Speaker 2: we got new hashtags coming because a Brazilian researcher. I 821 00:44:04,680 --> 00:44:07,320 Speaker 2: am immensely happy that the specimen is going home. I 822 00:44:07,440 --> 00:44:10,680 Speaker 2: am glad this means that a few dozen other invaluable 823 00:44:10,719 --> 00:44:14,439 Speaker 2: specimens are likely to make company to Ubijara and return home. 824 00:44:14,960 --> 00:44:16,920 Speaker 3: It's kind of weird how they have to be graceful 825 00:44:16,920 --> 00:44:18,600 Speaker 3: about gang. Can we have our stuff back? 826 00:44:18,719 --> 00:44:18,839 Speaker 2: Right? 827 00:44:18,880 --> 00:44:21,600 Speaker 3: Because if they're not graceful, they won't get it back. Well, 828 00:44:21,640 --> 00:44:24,160 Speaker 3: look at them, they're being jerks to us. You just 829 00:44:24,200 --> 00:44:27,080 Speaker 3: took their stuff. Like imagine if I wented someone's, you know, 830 00:44:27,160 --> 00:44:29,359 Speaker 3: some really rich home and I took like, I don't 831 00:44:29,400 --> 00:44:33,520 Speaker 3: know all their like they're heirloom silver, right, their silver 832 00:44:33,640 --> 00:44:36,040 Speaker 3: set from great great Greek grandma. And I'm like, yeah, 833 00:44:36,080 --> 00:44:37,640 Speaker 3: but I thought you guys weren't using it and you 834 00:44:37,680 --> 00:44:39,000 Speaker 3: weren't taking care of it. So I took it. And 835 00:44:39,040 --> 00:44:41,680 Speaker 3: I'm showing that all my people and how nice silverware 836 00:44:41,800 --> 00:44:43,719 Speaker 3: used to be. We all love. It's important to us. 837 00:44:43,760 --> 00:44:45,640 Speaker 3: They're like, could we have it back? I'm like, you 838 00:44:45,719 --> 00:44:47,480 Speaker 3: seem to be mad. Don't yell at me. If you 839 00:44:47,600 --> 00:44:49,640 Speaker 3: keep coming at me like that, you're never seeing this again. 840 00:44:49,680 --> 00:44:51,440 Speaker 3: You guys will know not to appreciate your silverware. 841 00:44:51,719 --> 00:44:54,120 Speaker 2: That's what they're saying, that's totally Is that your ridiculous 842 00:44:54,160 --> 00:44:58,480 Speaker 2: take away? It could be it is it is, that's beautiful. 843 00:44:58,480 --> 00:45:00,799 Speaker 3: What's your ridiculous take away? Lizabeth? I did that, just. 844 00:45:00,840 --> 00:45:03,520 Speaker 2: Smoothed, easy boom, easy breezy. 845 00:45:03,320 --> 00:45:05,880 Speaker 3: And that's some time. Go on, what's yours? 846 00:45:06,120 --> 00:45:08,840 Speaker 2: I think you know? Akin to that? I feel like 847 00:45:09,480 --> 00:45:12,840 Speaker 2: it's maddening that, you know, this control that gets exerted 848 00:45:12,960 --> 00:45:16,200 Speaker 2: over these things, and this notion of knowing what's best 849 00:45:16,320 --> 00:45:18,800 Speaker 2: for others. Yes, and well you can't take care of 850 00:45:18,800 --> 00:45:22,960 Speaker 2: your stuff managers with fire, Yeah, come on, and you know, 851 00:45:23,120 --> 00:45:25,319 Speaker 2: if you're all in this together, And like you were saying, 852 00:45:25,360 --> 00:45:27,600 Speaker 2: the dinosaurs didn't know one country from the other because 853 00:45:27,600 --> 00:45:32,080 Speaker 2: they weren't, wouldn't you scientists as scientists reach out and 854 00:45:32,200 --> 00:45:34,000 Speaker 2: like how can I help you? Rather than turning your 855 00:45:34,040 --> 00:45:35,840 Speaker 2: nose up at it? But you know, again, it's this 856 00:45:36,000 --> 00:45:36,960 Speaker 2: colonial mindset. 857 00:45:37,160 --> 00:45:39,560 Speaker 3: And also I mean it's and I joked earlier about 858 00:45:39,600 --> 00:45:41,319 Speaker 3: like can't we get the adults to learn how to share? 859 00:45:41,400 --> 00:45:43,680 Speaker 3: But it is like very much not just a children's thing. 860 00:45:43,760 --> 00:45:46,359 Speaker 3: Is that it says whole like mine, but I want 861 00:45:46,440 --> 00:45:48,560 Speaker 3: it If I can't have it, I'm taking the ball home. 862 00:45:48,640 --> 00:45:50,560 Speaker 3: It's all the stuff you see children do, we see 863 00:45:50,600 --> 00:45:52,440 Speaker 3: adults do. They just do it on paperwork and with 864 00:45:52,680 --> 00:45:54,359 Speaker 3: press announcements. But it's the same thing. 865 00:45:54,680 --> 00:45:57,439 Speaker 2: Well, it's you know, because of the power that they hold, 866 00:45:57,600 --> 00:45:59,920 Speaker 2: they feel they don't have to share, but you demonstrate 867 00:46:00,440 --> 00:46:02,280 Speaker 2: larger power by sharing, exactly. 868 00:46:02,760 --> 00:46:04,920 Speaker 3: And it's a greater gift to give yourself. 869 00:46:04,719 --> 00:46:07,560 Speaker 2: Isn't it though? I know because you know what sharing is. Karen. 870 00:46:09,239 --> 00:46:12,080 Speaker 2: That's it for today. You can find us online at 871 00:46:12,160 --> 00:46:15,920 Speaker 2: ridiculous Crime dot com. We're also at Ridiculous Crime on 872 00:46:16,040 --> 00:46:20,520 Speaker 2: both Twitter and Instagram, and you can email ridiculous Crime 873 00:46:20,640 --> 00:46:22,960 Speaker 2: at gmail dot com at your own risk, and you 874 00:46:23,040 --> 00:46:25,759 Speaker 2: can leave a talkback on the iHeart app reach out. 875 00:46:26,440 --> 00:46:34,440 Speaker 2: And that's it. Ridiculous Crime is hosted by Elizabeth Dutton 876 00:46:34,480 --> 00:46:38,120 Speaker 2: and Zarren Burnett, produced and edited by David Saurus Kustin. 877 00:46:38,640 --> 00:46:42,520 Speaker 2: Research is by Marissa Velociraptor to the Stars Brown and 878 00:46:42,640 --> 00:46:47,439 Speaker 2: Andrea Cutest Little Papasaurus song Sharpened Tear. The theme song 879 00:46:47,560 --> 00:46:52,279 Speaker 2: is by reanimated iguana Don Thomas Lee and renowned Brontosaurus 880 00:46:52,360 --> 00:46:56,920 Speaker 2: burger chef Travis Dutton. Executive producers are Ben Give Chile, 881 00:46:57,080 --> 00:47:00,800 Speaker 2: The Miladawn remains Bowlin and Noel Rich it turns Zambia's 882 00:47:00,840 --> 00:47:03,520 Speaker 2: broken hill skull immediately, or I will rain down hell 883 00:47:03,640 --> 00:47:12,640 Speaker 2: fire upon you Brown. Ridicous Crime. 884 00:47:13,480 --> 00:47:16,080 Speaker 3: Say it one more time, Ridiquious Crime. 885 00:47:17,160 --> 00:47:20,480 Speaker 1: Ridiculous Crime is a production of iHeartRadio four more podcasts 886 00:47:20,640 --> 00:47:23,800 Speaker 1: My heart Radio, visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or 887 00:47:23,800 --> 00:47:25,560 Speaker 1: wherever you listen to your favorite shows.