Lois , 89 , and Charlie O’Brien , 83 , spend over six ten becoming two of the world ’s preeminent entomologists . The married scientist couple amassed a personal solicitation of more than 1.25 million meticulously kept dirt ball specimens — let in their personal favorites : weevils ( Charlie ) and planthoppers ( Lois ) . Now , they ’re giving it all aside , NPR reports .
The O’Briens are donating their vast solicitation , figure to be worth $ 10 million , to Arizona State University ( ASU ) in Bob Hope that it will foster further enquiry that could have vast scientific note value . The treasure trove of creepy - crawly pests replicate ASU ’s current collection , predict the Frank Hasbrouck Insect Collection , which lie in of near 1 million specimens .
The O’Briens have also donated $ 2 million to ASU — the place where they first met — to endow next professorship with the sole destination of meditate and identifying new metal money .
Charles W. and Lois B. O’Brien Insect Systematics EndowmentfromASU NowonVimeo .
“ The O’Briens have placed gravid trust in us as a research biotic community , ” Nico Franz , the Hasbrouck Collection ’s curator and long - time colleague of Charlie O’Brien , told ASU in astatement . “ And at the same time , it ’s a responsibleness for us to make indisputable this aggregation has the heavy potential impact in terms of research and mentoring for succeeding genesis . ”
The contribution will probably have the large affect on the agriculture industry , specifically on trespassing species like Charlie ’s weevil . ASUnotesthere are about 65,000 identified weevil mintage but that estimates put the full number of metal money at about 220,000 . Different species of weevils scourge U.S. agriculture during the Dust Bowl by burrowing into plant stalk , laying eggs , and leaving the hatch larvae to scarf down the works parts . They continue to beset farmers all over the world .
But just because the scientists are donating their life ’s work does n’t think they ’re getting out of the germ business .
“ We work seven Clarence Shepard Day Jr. a week , we used to work 14 but now we ’re down to 10 hours a day , ” Charlie toldThe Guardian . “ We love it so much , even if I ’m bugger off a little quondam for field of honor work . ”
[ h / tNPR ]
