What happened to America's dream of technological leadership and space conquest?
The ARECIBO OBSERVATORY, the largest and most powerful radio-telescope and radar facility on Earth, like so many of us, is struggling to make ends meet.
The colossal structure was built when the US aspired to go to the Moon and beyond and feared the Russians would beat them to it.
The observatory has survived 44 years of technical challenges and Nature's wrath while teaching us about our atmosphere, our solar system, our origins, and the nature of our Universe. It has explored the most esoteric aspects of physical reality and has been at the forefront of our attempts to answer some of humanity's oldest questions: where do we come from and are we alone?
Still on the cutting edge of science, it retains the power to make discoveries that further our understanding of Mankind's place in the Universe and might prove key to the survival of our species.
But do we care enough to pay for it?
