There's nothing inappropriate about sending an email with a request. The difficult part might be getting a response.
I would frame the request not as a quid pro quo, but as an offer for collaboration. We are all afraid of getting suckered into a 'collaboration' where we do all the work and the other person/team shares the credit. You are offering the opposite of that, and assuming you are not a crank (you are not 'disproving' evolution, are you?), it could be an attractive proposition to the other side. Just keep your email short and to the point, and don't be disappointed if the other part does not agree that your idea is that substantial.
