Re: Roy Chapman Andrews biography

[Ben Landis <diverben@yahoo.com>]

:P I seemed to have received a few replies regarding
my little end cheer about RCA . . . hehehe yeah, the
"RCA'd" part was in the biography, as well as other
mentions of Chapman's paleontological incompetencies. 
But even if he wrecked fossils (reminds me of the jab
at a South American paleontologist in book _Hunting
Dinosaurs_ . . .) or if Walter Granger and others were
the real wizards of science, Chapman's efforts were
certainly crucial to the Expeditions, especially his
fundraising and publicity success.  

Certainly, paleontologists, oceanographers, and other
scientists make awe-inspiring expedition nowadays, but
since science is their profession they have to
concentrate on the preparation and study of their
findings.  With Andrews, you have someone who cared
enough and knew enough about science, but was focused
on going out and getting the stuff back to the
scientists, finding the funds to do so, and leading
the actual exploration, which happened to be in very
unstable and warring China and Mongolia.  Whatever his
actual tasks and abilities in the field, he provided a
figurehead to whom all the benefactors, diplomats,
high society, media, enemies, and inspired children
could direct their attention and lots of money to. 
And how much money and attention is out there for the
natural sciences, non-tech related things that the
average American would not give two cents about?  I
certainly hope _Walking with Dinosaurs in Hawaii_ and
_Jurassic Park IX_ isn't our only hope for the future!
 Eco-tourism might be the closest thing to hands-on
inspirations, but that's just in popular and
well-known parts of the world.

I guess what I'm saying is, we need more explorers and
explorer-scientists, and we need to make them famous!



Ben Landis


(Sorry if I've led this discussion path off-topic of
DML!  If there is a warning post then please reply to
my address.)


--- Dann Pigdon <dannj@alphalink.com.au> wrote:
> Ben Landis wrote:
>  
> >...Yeah, Andrews is(was) THE man!
> 
> Providing you didn't actually let him touch any of
> the fossils.
> Apparently the coordinating of expeditions was about
> the only thing
> "coordinated" about him. I've heard that many a
> specimen has been
> described as having been "RCA'ed". Another word for
> "fubarised" I
> believe... :)
> 
> -- 
>
________________________________________________________________
> 
> Dann Pigdon                   Australian Dinosaurs:
> GIS Archaeologist          
> http://www.geocities.com/dannsdinosaurs
> Melbourne, Australia       
> http://www.alphalink.com.au/~dannj/
>
________________________________________________________________
> 


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