this post was submitted on 04 Mar 2026

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Jurassic Park palaeontologist parts ways with university after Epstein emails (www.bbc.co.uk)

submitted 3 days ago by fossilesque@mander.xyz to c/nottheonion@lemmy.world

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[–] themeatbridge@lemmy.world 28 points 3 days ago (1 children)

Oh man, I was willing to give him the benefit of the doubt until I read the content of his email.

First he says that he didn't see anything that would suggest sex crimes, then he says he met Jeffrey and "the girls" who were 4 young women introduced to him as students, and says they were very hospitable.

[+] ArbitraryValue@sh.itjust.works -9 points 3 days ago (4 children)

We don't even know that those particular women weren't adults, so I'm not sure why you think Horner should have concluded that they weren't.

[–] themeatbridge@lemmy.world 21 points 3 days ago (1 children)

Him, Epstein, and four girls who he claims were college aged. Epstein, the human trafficker and child rapist, and another middle aged man, having a party with four "college aged" girls.

But nothing weird or suspicious.

[–] daannii@lemmy.world 12 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago) (1 children)

Honestly, my experience with men, is that genuinely believe a young barely legal girl would totally be with a 50 year old man because they are smitten with him. And are also very open to being one of many girlfriends.

I've met a lot of men, even men I would say are decent men, who believe it's common for young attractive girls to be sexually and romantically attracted to older men.

I have told them it's rare.

But sex workers will do the job for money and pretend they like the guy. I mean, that's part of the agreement for being a sugar baby.

Most young attractive people are attracted to other young attractive people.

That's the facts.

I bet this guy actually did believe that these girls were all in love with Epstein.

Because that's what old farts want to believe.

They want to believe their waitress who is nice to them actually genuinely finds them handsome.

They want to believe the stripper at the club wants to fuck them so bad.

And so they do believe it. When it's obvious to the rest of us it's just transactional. And she's playing a role for money.

Epstein promised these girls he would make them famous. And threatened them when they tried to leave.

They were just playing along.

[–] ArbitraryValue@sh.itjust.works 11 points 3 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (1 children)

If I saw a very wealthy man with multiple significantly younger women, I would assume that he was probably paying them but not that he was abusing them.

[–] themeatbridge@lemmy.world 3 points 2 days ago

Ok, but if you learned later that the guy was trafficking and raping women and children, and was selling them to other rich people for sex, that might color your perspective a bit? And if you looked back on that moment and said "I saw nothing strange or suspicious" I would think you were a liar.

[–] Cherry@piefed.social 9 points 3 days ago (1 children)

Even if there were of age it does not pass the pub test. 4, 4 collage aged girls.

Most educators would know better and act with integrity. I’m sure some would argue if legal what’s the problem, but to anyone with morals and intelligence it’s not something you would entertain.

[–] AngryCommieKender@lemmy.world 3 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago)

Anyone in education with a functional sense of self preservation, much less morals and intelligence. I did my undergrad TA work in a middle school and high school. I basically chained myself to the nearest woman staff member the entire time I was on the campus, and there were several times I had to grab literally a random staff member so that one, or a group, of the girls didn't corner me in a classroom by ourselves. I'm certain that none of them had any interest in me, but I'm not a good judge of that, and wasn't taking any chances at someone claiming that I did something untowards to a student.

[–] gravitas_deficiency@sh.itjust.works 9 points 3 days ago (1 children)

Primarily because that’s what Epstein was fucking notorious for

[–] D_C@sh.itjust.works 11 points 3 days ago

"Hey, you know my mate Steve, the one just released from prison for bank robbery? Well he just asked to borrow my gun, my balaclava, and was carrying a bag that said 'SWAG' on it...I wonder what he's doing entering that bank? Haaa, it's probably nothing."

[–] surewhynotlem@lemmy.world 2 points 2 days ago

I mean . He'd probably step aside if he were caught frequenting prostitutes, regardless of age. The fact that we now know they were likely underage slaves makes it horribly worse. But even without that it's a bad look for a professor.

Until prostitution is legalized, of course.

[–] Monument@lemmy.sdf.org 9 points 2 days ago

Horner also said Epstein made a $10,000 donation for his research and that he visited the ranch a second time in 2016 with a graduate student "as part of a geology tour".

Has anyone heard from this student? I would not trust a word of his version of the narrative.

[–] negativenull@piefed.world 8 points 3 days ago

Don't move. They can't see me if I don't move.

Jack Horner, maybe