This T. Rex Fossil Could Fetch the Largest Sum of Any Dinosaur Ever Auctioned. Scientists Worry They'll Lose the Chance to Study It

A T. rex fossil named "Gus" is set to break auction records with bids starting at $19 million, potentially making it the most expensive dinosaur ever sold. This high price could prevent public institutions from acquiring it, limiting researchers' access to study such a significant specimen. The concern is that privately owned fossils like Gus are often inaccessible for research, making it nearly impossible to include in top-tier scientific studies. This situation highlights a growing tension between the value of scientific research and the private market's influence on rare fossil discoveries.