anyway, I’m not hopeful, but I kind of hope the expertise of science policy and STS people can help Arecibo

I do legitimately think Arecibo is a unique place in terms of science and heritage and deserves better

Although the examples we do have of working heritage observatories are all *optical*, and that says something

I do find it...interesting, I guess, that some of the press release quotes about Arecibo being decommissioned stress that “big science” is apparently on its way out, which it just isn’t (for a start, big science is LONG science and takes forever to do)

Right, back on this thread: for a start, “big science” arguably has roots and analogues in 19th-century science anyway

Getting back to Arecibo: we have now progressed from petitions to writing to elected officials. This is a good thing.

I honestly think it will be hard to overcome the very real barrier of people having to risk their lives to save the telescope.

This wasn’t inevitable.