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Jodrell Bank May Close Down

Posted by kdawson on from the not-just-pulsars dept.

Anonymous Astronomer writes "MERLIN, the UK's only radio astronomy facility, is facing closure following the results of a Programmatic Review carried out by the Science and Technology Facilities Council, the results of which were announced on Monday. The review placed MERLIN and the upgraded telescope e-MERLIN, due to go online later this year following an investment of £8M, in the low-priority category under serious threat of funding cuts. The upgraded array of telescopes, situated across the UK, will be 30 times more sensitive than the current array and will be a unique facility for observing distant objects and helping us understand the universe. If these cuts go ahead however, not only MERLIN but the entire Observatory including the iconic Lovell telescope, based at Jodrell Bank in Cheshire, will be under threat of closure."

4 of 53 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Rather than close them down ... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    This was modded flamebait? Who gave Ann Coulter mod points???

  2. Re:It's standard negotiating tactic in the UK by K.+S.+Kyosuke · · Score: 2, Funny

    Let me guess...one Sir Humphrey is a member of the council, am I right?

    --
    Ezekiel 23:20
  3. That's what they get by Darth · · Score: 3, Funny

    That's what they get for buying all that sub-prime debt. If more of these banks went out of business over it, maybe they'd learn something.

    p.s. I'm kidding. I know this is about radio astronomy and not about a financial institution.

    --
    Darth --
    Nil Mortifi, Sine Lucre
  4. Re:No Surprise... by mazarin5 · · Score: 2, Funny

    Why, the US of course!

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    Fnord.