Questions: Which researcher witnessed a ship of his most treasured natural history specimens go up in flames? Alfred Russell Wallace Charles Darwin Charles Lyell Emily Dickinson

The answer is the first one: Alfred Russell Wallace.

Explanation for each option:

1. Alfred Russell Wallace: Correct. Alfred Russell Wallace, a British naturalist, explorer, and biologist, witnessed a ship carrying his valuable natural history specimens catch fire and sink. This incident occurred in 1852 when the ship "Helen" caught fire during his return voyage from the Amazon Basin, resulting in the loss of his collections and notes.

2. Charles Darwin: Incorrect. Charles Darwin did not experience such an incident. He is best known for his voyage on the HMS Beagle, during which he collected numerous specimens that contributed to his theory of evolution by natural selection.

3. Charles Lyell: Incorrect. Charles Lyell was a geologist known for his work in geology and for popularizing the concept of uniformitarianism. There is no record of him losing natural history specimens in a ship fire.

4. Emily Dickinson: Incorrect. Emily Dickinson was an American poet and did not engage in natural history research or specimen collection.

Summary: The researcher who witnessed a ship carrying his most treasured natural history specimens go up in flames was Alfred Russell Wallace.