The Loss of Arecibo
Whether you’re a space geek, movie geek, or just an average person, chances are you know Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico. The iconic structure appeared often in pop culture, including the movies Contact and GoldenEye, but its main role was forming the backbone for some of the most important radio telescope research—including the search for extraterrestrial intelligence (SETI) and monitoring for Earth-threatening asteroids. Trouble for the observatory began in August, when a cable fell and shredded a section of the main dish. It took a second hit from a cable in November, and the whole structure collapsed in December, devastating scientists and science fans across the world. Among its many accomplishments were helping scientists refine their understanding of what constitutes a year on Mercury, returning the first radar maps of Venus, and most famously, hunting for aliens.
https://gizmodo.com/gut-wrenching-photos-show-damage-at-arecibo-observatory-1845790190
“Of all the radio telescopes I have ever visited, and I have visited a few, Arecibo stands apart as a magically surreal symbol of human ingenuity and exploration,” Andrew Siemion, the director of Berkeley SETI Research Center that undertook the alien hunt, said following the collapse.
