Rebuild The Arecibo Radio Telescope To Inspire Students

The famed Arecibo radio telescope in Puerto Rico has collapsed and is ruined. This is the place where scientists first detected other planets outside our solar system and proved that Einstein’s theory of relativity was right. 

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During the summer, one of the cables supporting the receiver platform suspended over the 1,000 foot-wide dish snapped. The falling cable gouged a big hole in the dish. This instrument was originally constructed by the Defense Department 57 years ago. Its purpose was to learn ways to detect incoming missiles. It was built in a natural sinkhole in Puerto Rico. Due to its huge size, it was still being used for cutting edge science. One recent project was learning how stars are formed.

In the middle of November, the National Science Foundation decided that it would have to be demolished because if more cables broke, the receiver platform would fall. Two weeks later, the suspended platform crashed down. The telescope had demolished itself.

Astronomers and students around the world are grieving. Arecibo motivated many students to go into physics, astronomy, and science. Kids became interested in things that can lead to a career because they were exposed to them. Alyssa Goodman, an astronomer at Harvard told WBUR radio that she did her thesis at Arecibo. Graduate students working at Arecibo were inspired to go into science after they had toured the telescope when they were in high school. 

Many people may ask, why is it important to rebuild it when people living in the area are having problems receiving basic needs? There is a need to have things that will inspire students to work towards the goal of a meaningful career and life. The massive radio telescope looks out into the heavens to answer questions about how the universe was created.

When I was a child, I was awed by the original Mercury astronauts. The space program in the 60’s was a source of inspiration that motivated many students to go into science. Rebuilding Arecibo is important to motivate the next generation. Kids need big things to look up to.

To get rebuilding done without endless bureaucracy, the tech industry should take charge, and could put up at least half the money. There are many bored kids who cannot leave home due to COVID-19 and might jump at the opportunity to help with raising funds. Learning about the exciting research that have been accomplished at Arecibo will motivate them. 

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The basic dish structure at Arecibo will never become obsolete, because its receivers and electronics can be constantly updated. From a scientific standpoint, Arecibo is worth rebuilding because its huge size enables it to receive signals that smaller dishes cannot detect. 

The urge to explore and learn is a basic human need. A rebuilt Arecibo can help nurture it.