The five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical radio Telescope (Fast) in Pingtang county, Guizhou province on December 13, 2020 AFPThe Five-hundred-metre Aperture Spherical Telescope (Fast) -- the only significant instrument of its kindNestled among the mountains in southwest China, the world's largest radio telescope signals Beijing's ambitions as a global centre for scientific research. The world's second-largest radio telescope, at the Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico, was destroyed when its suspended 900-tonne receiver platform came loose and plunged 450 feet onto the radio dish below. The 500-metre giant satellite dish is easily the world's largest -- covering the area of 30 football pitches -- and cost $175 million to build, as well as displacing thousands of villagers to make room for it. Talent huntCloser to home, China has said it will accept requests in 2021 from foreign scientists wishing to carry out measurements. A sign of the change in China's mentality is that since 2018, foreign scientists have been able to lead state-funded projects.

Source: Dhaka Tribune December 15, 2020 07:18 UTC