Evidence map›Paper›PMID 36175597›Full record

ReviewCommunications biology2022

Ethics, law, and politics in palaeontological research: The case of Myanmar amber.

Emma M Dunne, Nussaïbah B Raja, Paul P Stewens, Zin-Maung-Maung-Thein, Khin Zaw

Abstract readReview
In one paragraph

Review in Communications biology, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 8 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
8citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

8 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
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  5. Article
  6. Biodiversity in times of conflict.Nature ecology & evolution · 2024
    Article
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  8. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Emma M Dunne *GeoZentrum Nordbayern, Department of Geography and Geosciences, Friedrich Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, 91054, Germany. dunne.emma.m@gmail.com.ORCID 0000-0002-4989-5904
Nussaïbah B Raja *GeoZentrum Nordbayern, Department of Geography and Geosciences, Friedrich Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, 91054, Germany.ORCID 0000-0002-0000-3944
Paul P StewensDepartment of International Law, Geneva Graduate Institute, Chemin Eugène-Rigot 2A, Geneva, CH-1211, Switzerland.ORCID 0000-0001-5172-9764
Zin-Maung-Maung-TheinDepartment of Geology, University of Mandalay, Mahaaungmyae, 05032, Mandalay, Myanmar.
Khin ZawCODES Centre of Ore Deposit and Earth Sciences, School of Natural Sciences, University of Tasmania, Geology Building, Clark Rd, Private Bag 79, Hobart, TAS, 7001, Australia.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Fossil material in amber from Myanmar can provide important insights into mid-Cretaceous forest ecosystems. However, Myanmar amber has been receiving increased international attention due to reported links between amber mining and the ongoing humanitarian crisis in northern Myanmar, as well as the legal issues associated with its exportation. Here, we conduct a bibliometric analysis of Myanmar amber publications (1990-2021) and demonstrate how research interest in Myanmar amber is explicitly linked to major political, legal, and economic changes. An analysis of the authorship networks for publications on amber inclusions reveals how current research practices have excluded Myanmar researchers from the field. In addition, the international trade of Myanmar amber with fossil inclusions falls into a legal 'grey-zone' which continues to be exploited. This case study vividly demonstrates that systemic changes, alongside an increased awareness of inequitable research practices amongst the broader scientific and allied communities, are urgently needed to curb illegal practices in palaeontology.

Indexed as

AmberPaleontologyCommerceEcosystemInternationalityPoliticsAmber

Identifiers

PMID36175597
PMCPMC9522859

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.