Epstein Files Expose Ties to Scientists and a Jurassic Park Advisor
Epstein Files Expose Ties to Scientists and a Jurassic Park Advisor
Epstein Files Expose Ties to Scientists and a Jurassic Park Advisor
Newly released documents have revealed connections between disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein and prominent figures in science and paleontology. Among the names appearing in the Epstein files are well-known researchers, including a fossil-hunting trip involving Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and a request for funding from a Jurassic Park advisor.
The revelations have prompted calls for action within the scientific community, with one major conference already banning certain individuals linked to Epstein.
Epstein's interest in science was well-documented long before his criminal convictions. In 2003, he donated $6.5 million to Harvard University to support its Program for Evolutionary Dynamics. He also hosted private dinners and meetings with high-profile scientists, though no records show ongoing ties after his 2008 conviction.
The recently unsealed files include details of a 2012 fossil-hunting trip in New Mexico, where Epstein was accompanied by Ghislaine Maxwell and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Maxwell later mentioned this excursion in an interview with the Deputy Attorney General. That same year, renowned paleontologist Jack Horner—technical advisor for the Jurassic Park films—visited Epstein's ranch. Horner reportedly discussed a research summit aimed at reversing dinosaur traits in modern birds and later sought financial backing from Epstein.
The Society of Vertebrate Paleontology has confirmed that some of its members appear in the Epstein files. Meanwhile, DinoCon, a major paleontology event, has announced a ban on certain researchers named in the documents. The organisation is also urging other scientific bodies to take similar steps against individuals with Epstein connections.
Beyond paleontology, MIT professor Seth Lloyd faced consequences for accepting Epstein's funding. After apologising to victims, Lloyd was placed on administrative leave by the university.
The Epstein files continue to expose ties between the convicted financier and influential figures across academia. DinoCon's ban and calls for wider action mark the first concrete responses from the scientific community. No further evidence has emerged of paleontologists engaging with Epstein after his 2008 conviction.