posted 08-23-2018 11:37 AM               

You don't have to be a scientist to experience humanity's tremendous achievements. Collecting scientific memorabilia — pieces of old spacecraft, fossils from long-extinct creatures, or autographed photos of history's greatest inventors — lets you literally touch great moments from our past. But you have to do it the right way.

Buying these relics can be tricky. The internet is full of fake, stolen, or misrepresented items, and some of them may be flat-out illegal to own. Even if you find a legitimate seller, you have a responsibility to keep your purchases intact for future generations. We talked to a few experts about how to start your collection of scientific keepsakes — and do so ethically.