Arecibo

The news of the collapse of the Arecibo Telescope in Puerto Rico wasn't a surprise to many. Over the past decade or so it has become inceasingly damaged from the high winds of many hurricanes. I personally, however, always assumed that it would be repaired and life would move on. It had even secured additional funding to continue operating through 2024. Because of the continued deterioration when I read that it collapsed I wasn't completely surprised by that. What I was surprised by was the lack of attention that has been paid to the telescope for over a decade. It feels like a harbinger for the state of science focus in the US, and that is also sadly not surprising. Lets hope that my fear is unfounded.