幼年角鼻龙化石拍卖价达3050万美元，创下新纪录
摘要
一具罕见的幼年角鼻龙化石在纽约苏富比拍卖行以3050万美元成交，成为有史以来恐龙骨架拍卖价格最高之一，凸显了关于化石获取权的持续争议。
一具幼年角鼻龙化石——仅有的四个标本之一，且是唯一的幼年标本——在纽约苏富比拍卖行经过激烈的六分钟竞价后以3050万美元成交。该化石于1996年在怀俄明州骨棚采石场发现，约有1.5亿年历史，由139块骨骼组成，其中包括一具极为完整的头骨。拍卖前，该化石曾于2000年至2024年间在犹他州古生命博物馆展出。
此次拍卖价格远超最初估价的400万至600万美元，反映出对稀有古生物学发现的强烈需求。苏富比表示，买家身份未予透露，计划将化石借给某机构以继续进行科学研究。
此次销售重新引发了关于重要化石私下拍卖的争论。爱丁堡大学古生物学教授史蒂夫·布鲁萨特表达了对公众获取权的担忧，指出此类标本可能最终“被寡头豪宅或银行保险库收藏”，而非用于研究和教育。相比之下，利兹大学艺术市场史教授马克·韦斯特加思指出，化石市场历来促进了公众兴趣和科学研究。
拍卖中还包括地球上已知最大的火星陨石碎片，以530万美元成交，彰显了人们对稀有自然历史文物日益增长的兴趣。
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A juvenile Ceratosaurus fossil, one of only four known specimens and the only juvenile among them, was sold at Sotheby's New York for $30.5 million following a competitive six-minute bidding process.
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The fossil, discovered in 1996 at Wyoming's Bone Cabin Quarry, is approximately 150 million years old and consists of 139 bone elements, including a notably complete skull.
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Prior to the sale, it was exhibited at the Museum of Ancient Life in Utah from 2000 to 2024.
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The auction price far exceeded its initial estimate of $4 million to $6 million, reflecting strong demand for rare paleontological finds.
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The buyer, whose identity was not disclosed, intends to loan the fossil to an institution for continued scientific study, according to Sotheby's.
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The sale has reignited debate over the private auction of significant fossils.
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Steve Brusatte, professor of paleontology at the University of Edinburgh, voiced concerns about public access, stating that such specimens could end up 'in the mansion of an oligarch or a bank vault' rather than being available for research and education.
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