The Collapse of the Arecibo Telescope

In December 2020, the world watched in disbelief as the iconic Arecibo Telescope in Puerto Rico, a pillar of astronomical research, came crashing down. This catastrophic event marked the end of a tragic 39-month deterioration, a timeline that began ominously with Hurricane Maria’s devastating impact in 2017. A newly released report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine reveals the factors leading to the collapse, centering on a long-neglected failure in the telescope’s cable systems.

A Marvel of Engineering