World’s Largest Radio Telescope

Mar 12, 2016

China will relocate more than 9,000 people before the opening of the world’s largest radio telescope later this year – a move that Beijing hopes will boost the global hunt for aliens’ life. Once completed, the telescope will be used to reflect radio signals from distant parts of the universe.

Fast (500 m Aperture Spherical Radio Telescope), a 1.2bn yuan (£127m)  project has began in the south-western province of Guizhou and is expected to be completed by end of the year. Once finished, it will overtake the 300-meter Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico. It will become the world’s largest radio telescope.

People living within 3 miles of the telescope will be be relocated to create a sound electromagnetic wave environment. Each resident who are being evacuated will get up to $1,800 in compensation from the country’s eco-migration bureau and provincial reservoir.

The telescope is a pioneering scientific endeavour. Fast is made up of 4,450 triangular-shaped panels. These movable panels will be reflecting radio signals from distant parts of the universe towards a thirty-tonne retina which is will store the information, once the telescope is fully functional.

Source:http://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/feb/16/china-relocates-9000-people-fast-telescope-search-for-aliens