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The 900-tonne platform crashed into the 305 m dish, which lies almost 140 m below, destroying parts of it.ĭespite the damage, the National Science Foundation (NSF), which funds the observatory, decided it would not close the site. But on 1 December 2020 the radio telescope’s suspended platform – with its Gregorian dome focus and a plethora of instrumentation – fell after multiple suspension cables failed. The Arecibo Observatory, which first opened in 1963, is located in a natural bowl and was used for research into radio astronomy, planetary and space studies as well as atmospheric science. The so-called Next Generation Arecibo Telescope (NGAT) would, if funded, involve building a phased array of small parabolic antennas to carry out pioneering research to maintain the island’s position at the forefront of astronomy. (Courtesy: UCF)Īstronomers at the iconic Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico have revised their plans for a telescope to replace the original facility, which dramatically collapsed in 2020. Webinars Tune into online presentations that allow expert speakers to explain novel tools and applicationsĭown and out: The Arecibo Observatory's instrument platform, which was held above the 305 m-wide dish collapsed destroying the telescope in 2020.Video Watch our specially filmed videos to get a different slant on the latest science.Podcasts Our regular conversations with inspiring figures from the scientific community.Audio and video Explore the sights and sounds of the scientific world.Women in physics Celebrating women in physics and their contributions to the field.Supercool physics Experiments that probe the exotic behaviour of matter at ultralow temperatures depend on the latest cryogenics technology.The science and business of space Explore the latest trends and opportunities associated with designing, building, launching and exploiting space-based technologies.Revolutions in computing Find out how scientists are exploiting digital technologies to understand online behaviour and drive research progress.Nanotechnology in action The challenges and opportunities of turning advances in nanotechnology into commercial products.#BlackInPhysics Celebrating Black physicists and revealing a more complete picture of what a physicist looks like.Artificial intelligence Explore the ways in which today’s world relies on AI, and ponder how this technology might shape the world of tomorrow.
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