This is what is compelling about the abduction angle. In effect that is exactly what a human biologist would do in an alien world: sample the population and stu

This is what is compelling about the abduction angle. In effect that is exactly what a human biologist would do in an alien world: sample the population and study it. You don't need a strong economic incentive to send a field biologist someplace. Things can operate inefficiently in basic research because if one waits for economic viability many findings would not be possible.