PPIIBBSS
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As of now, they have produced the horns, but are unsure as to what type of effect they will have on the market. Their goal, of course, is to economically devalue the horns by flooding the market, so poachers stop taking interest. However, they may just wind up creating new markets/ interest for rhino-horn products due to the new increased availability and the average person's inability to distinguish real from synthetic horn. Read the national geographic article I linked for more detail.
http://www.snopes.com/3d-printed-rhino-horn-developed/
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/2015/12/151203-pembient-synthetic-rhino-horn-vietnam-poaching/
MildlyPeevedOrchard
This could go horribly wrong, but god, I really hope it works.
SnarlyTangles
Sell them to the poachers. Cheaper than risking imprisonment or death.
notdavidattenborough
YAY
Exileddude
Looks like a bad dragon product
ClowderChowder
A little late for that...
xyzzjp
These guys are probably trying to sell boner pills and using anti-poaching as a flag. Just like so many scammer supplements in China
DeathStarWasAnInsideJob
They have stopped doing this, and instead educate people that this Asian superstition is bullshit
borgmaster
If the horn market was replaced by dealers being cheap and printing their own horns I would be cool with that.
LizardEnterprises
'Genetic fingerprint'? No. No they haven't. Did you mean chemical?
DwaneDibbley
Brilliant idea. So poachers gona kill 8times more rhinos to keep their income.
RepostFromLastWeek
We can me superior synthetic diamonds cheaper then 'real' diamonds, yet people keep falling for the diamond scam.
thomaselvidge
Great plan.
tosomethisisarandomcollectionofletters
*in theory
dEXm64
I'd imagine it would just push up the price for genuine rhino horn.
kaizervonmaanen2
Then they will just sell the synthetic rhino horn for much more because people think it is genuine.
DepressedHappily
Planned anything similar for Animal Genital organs?
DepressedHappily
Yeah. Pervert Idea i know
hobojones85
I would never buy a real rhino horn. A synthetic one, hell yeah. I'd like to think I would just add to their success.
YouregonnadieCLOWN
In theory with constant supply increasing demand increases price
HOLAKOOO
make them poisonous too, please.
dukebound85
I just love when reposters get a bazillions points and on front page!
parachuteapocalypse
They should poison them so the purchasers die.
KellerKniffing
Shouldnt we not cosume something that is 3-D printed?
Grungeking
Should we consume real horns because of fake mystic goodforyour wiener bullshit?
KellerKniffing
Never had horn, just never been a craving for me
lucario7
Considering that they authenticate that the rhino horn is real, wouldnt that make the real one even more valuable?
kaizervonmaanen2
And how would you authenticate that?
4cqker
Won't people just start hacking the whole head off to prove authenticity
Grudgebearingmidget
You're already essentially murdering the creature by taking it's horns away TBH, removing their primary defense so that wouldn't shock me.
kaizervonmaanen2
More difficult to transport and just as easy to fake.
sharkhugs
Does that mean we might be able to clone people through 3D printing
Koldfront
Every time they come up with a new 'solution' to out poachers it has only turned them more desperate, these people don't have other jobs./1
kaizervonmaanen2
They can sell grass to farmers and earn more money per kilo that way. And avoid the risk of lifetime in jail as well.
Koldfront
They will continue to hunt, and if the price plummets they'll only start poaching more, this is the same that happened with those pink horns
Cavalrysword
Sales in lieu of? Is this legal? If real & fake cannot be told apart, perfect defense for those caught with real.
irrascible
Mistake of Fact is no defense, Mistake of Law is. MoF means it's still illegal, pointing a fake gun at a cop, for example.
regnant
Right now, it's very easy to tell the real from fake based on appearance. But if they get the look down, I believe they'll have some marker
kaizervonmaanen2
Although they have to prove that it is fake, which these guys can because they know how to produce it.
PPIIBBSS
you make some good points. all of your points are addressed and both of your questions are answered in the national geographic article
IHateApostrophes
Same can be said for counterfeit money. "I swear, I thought it was real money."
elppapple
Or just make it more valuable to bring in a poacher's head than a rhino's horn. Also, if it did work as medicine (which it doesn't) 1/2
IAmTheOneWhoMocks
Sounds like you could be the president of the Philippines.
elppapple
wouldn't it be more effective to cut off just a bit of the rhino's horn and leave the rest to grow? Like a garden?
whoknowswhoitis
You see this specimen? His name was Frank. A real nasty wild dentist. I hear dentists' balls are going for 50k each these days
LadyYmir
That's 200k for a whole set
k8teebee
If it's indistinguishable from the real thing, & selling real horn is illegal, how do you allow this w/o undermining enforcement efforts?
vowofloudness
It's genetically identical to the real thing, but definitely not indistinguishable.
kaizervonmaanen2
It's indistinguishable. That's the whole point. Academics and experts can not tell them apart even with spectral analysis and lab equipment.
vowofloudness
Really? Everything I've read says "genetically identical" or "genetically similar". Can you share your source?
kaizervonmaanen2
It looks similar because they 3d print it to look similar & it's mad with material that is "genetically identical" so you can't see its synt
vowofloudness
Yeah I read that too. But where did you get "Academics and experts can not tell them apart even with spectral analysis and lab equipment"?
DjNeHi
Still if they can 3D print them cheaper than people can poach them it will still devalue them even if people do find more uses for them.
RaRaPotato
or it'll increase the value for certified genuine ivory.
Aquilarden
Or they'll be purchased by sellers and sold at a profit alongside the genuine article.
OmgOptimized
I suspect there will always be people looking for the real deal in the name of exclusivity. They should flood all price levels with this 1/2
OmgOptimized
stuff so it becomes really difficult to tell if you're actually getting one from a killed rhino 2/2
Grungeking
Well, if the fake horn sells people may well just start making it instead of poaching. It should be less dangerous and easier.
vowofloudness
Has Cheez Whiz made Camembert cheaper? Did the Mona Lisa lose value because you can buy a cheap poster in the Louvre gift shop?
xann101
Those posters ain't cheap. ..
Mtumbe
Two hundred camembert ground to powder in a chinese market. Not the same thing.
vowofloudness
And real horn isn't the same thing as fake horn.
PPIIBBSS
i would hope so. In the national geographic article there are some really good points addressed, but i generally still agree with you
BanadecCamberbootch
My main concern would actually be that there would then be a market for "real horn", with skin/proof attached, driving the price and 1/?
BanadecCamberbootch
demand and incentive for illegal poaching even higher. But hey, it's a start, and I'm not opposed to trying.
MicahAmey
I wonder if they would end up making a profit. If they can that would be a twist.
MindlessChaos
I would imagine it would be profitable or else they would not be able to sustain the operation.
keyonne
That would be great cuz then they could just keep on doing it.
WhatsUnderMyKilt
But if you find TOO many uses for it too quick...the value may actually go up in the short term before falling.
whodiswudis
They should release how they did it so people can make their own.
Jacxy
Are economists running this plan, or engineers?
WhatsUnderMyKilt
with our luck....probably politicians.
Actualdeadpool
ASIAN politicians. Slightly more likely to be Communist.
RezDogLover
Stupid question but what uses do people find for rhino horns? I know they're poached and valuable but what do people do with them?
DjNeHi
Some cultures believe they are an aphrodisiac when ground up. Otherwise I would assume for creating decorations.
PPIIBBSS
Here's a helpful website with instant and generally reliable answers to all those sorts of questions. Http://www.google.com
likehelly
or you could not be a douchebag
PPIIBBSS
Oh come on take a little joke. You said yourself it was a silly question. Sorry if I offended u. Was just a little quip is all
MyBigMouth
Or how about teaching old Chinese "medical" practitioners that ivory doesn't help give you a boner
Chroven
we should start with teaching india to use toilets
lostnortherner
??? You think they don't know how to use toilets?
Chroven
http://blogs.wsj.com/indiarealtime/2014/10/08/why-many-indians-cant-stand-to-use-the-toilet/
thisiskissel
Rhino horns are made of hair. But, you're right about the nonsensical beliefs.
IAmAngry
better teach that there are no 72 virgins waiting for Shahids..
MemeStealingSkeleton
Well if there is i really hope it's 72 neck beard virgins
IAmAngry
TigerswilldoANYTHINGforatunafishsandwich
Since when has teaching done anything when it comes to old beliefs?
TheSacrificialButter
Well, the Renaissance helped a bit.
hyptosis
haha amen
almostsomething182
The Catholic church recognizes and accepts evolution
Tiis
It only took 2 centuries...
almostsomething182
Only took most of human history to figure it out in the first place
Tiis
Right, but neither 'most of human history' or '2 centuries' is quick enough to safe the rhino or elephant.
asukara
Or maybe give them all free Viagra
IAmAngry
1.6 BIL ppl + Viagra= 16 BIL
midd1eearth
Viagra and chemical sterilizer. Bam! Issue resolved
MemeStealingSkeleton
Better yet make a fake rhino horn out of viagra
GreaterDog
Viagra is damn expensive per pill.
IHateApostrophes
More expensive than illegal rhino horn?
GreaterDog
You're probably right
IHateApostrophes
We could probably cut costs by 3D printing viagra with the same genetic properties.
OSCgal
I apologize for being "that guy", but rhino horn isn't ivory.
MyBigMouth
True, but like an elephant tusk it's horny, and for reason that equals boner medicine?!?
theflyingnun
Nope, it's keratin. It's like thinking eating toenail clippings will give you a boner.
Agandau
And it's NOT for sex. It's a "pain killer" supposedly. They use it for freaking headaches!
JohnnyTitelips
I mean Canadians bludgeon baby seals to death because "muh Culture eh."
prettyviscera
The "baby" part isn't true. You get a hefty fine if you kill a whitecoat seal. Clubbing ensures a quick death/maintains pelt quality. 1/2
ZoidbergIsGreat
Yeah the far north is an interesting place to say the least...
midd1eearth
Sorry titelips, truth hurts some folks. Have a vote for your bravery
midd1eearth
See? Someone already downvoted this comment, which, in and of itself, is simply an unbiased truth.
Cerxi
Except that it's not? Killing immature seals has been illegal for thirty years now.
midd1eearth
And stillllll happens
JohnnyTitelips
+1 My man
prettyviscera
2/2 Is it gruesome? Yes. But it's no worse than bolting a cow in the head and harvesting its meat and skin. Apologies if you're vegan.
lostnortherner
At least a bolt to the head is very quick, battering an animal to death seems a particularly slow and cruel way to put an animal down.
prettyviscera
It's a quick, one shot deal. It's disgusting looking though, especially against the white of the ice/snow.
JohnnyTitelips
overcastdaze
Harvest the lower horn!
Almightytoad
Ever see soccer player line up for a goal kick? They aren't covering their noses, that's for sure.
Bortle
BrianTheImpaler
"I'll have it jerked." "That won't be the first time! WOOOOO!"
mydadcoulddoanything
FrogPaste
Fuck outta here with that idea
errose
Yep he ded
definitelynotaPedophile
Holy shit.
Rifneno
Dude, holy shit! That hang time!
Raith93
This is why you don't smart mouth dad at the dinner table.
LrrrRulerofOmicronPerseieight
never been more relevant in my life.
pyronyzen
was it worth it?
LrrrRulerofOmicronPerseieight
for few hours of fame? absolutely.
Rambo3rdBlood
Orrrr it backfires and the price of real versus synthetic horns skyrocket
JudoChopp
This^
ArcherGifs
The snopes source even states this. It's a rejected idea because that's what'll most-likely happen.
mcdeviant
But my supplier only sells genuine horn. You can’t tell the difference, but I jacked up the price so it must be real.
OhyoureTHATJocelyn
But if it has the same genetic footprint , how would they know the difference?
losCHUNK
But like with Diamonds, won't their be some trace that would indicate which one is real and which one is artificial ?.
Falkh12
Maybe, if they see that the horn is at just 1/8 of the usual price, they'll notice.
OhyoureTHATJocelyn
I believe I read the intent was to flood the market at the current price, making it less desirable due to lack of exclusivity
NotSoFunnyOP
I mean they could have actual evidence of the poaching. Like a video or a photo when it's being done.
kaizervonmaanen2
It's easy to doctor photos or even take 60,000 real photos with different people in different poses whenever they find a poached carcass.
Jatpet
Well if I was a poacher, I'd use the same video to sell craploads of synthetic horns instead of risking getting shot. Not perfect but still.
MinecraftingVW
Yes, when committing crimes, ALWAYS take video to make it easier for authorities to indict you...
Nigbac
U don't have to give a copy to the police.
Grudgebearingmidget
Just give them a little more rope to hang you with and have it laying about for your customer where the cops can find it.