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The construction of the 18-story, $1.4 billion Thirty-Meter Telescope atop the Mauna Kea volcano in Hawaii has been temporarily halted due to protests.
The campaign has garnered celebrity support and participants across the world:
Supporters of the project point out that there are already 13 telescopes built within that conservation zone. But none are as large as the latest planned structure, dubbed the Thirty-Meter Telescope, which would require the destruction of five acres of land.
The Honolulu-born Game of Thrones star Jason Momoa posted pictures on Instagram and Twitter using the hashtag #WeAreMaunaKea, That and the hashtag #ProtectMaunaKea have seen big jumps in use this week. San Francisco Giants' pitcher Madison Bumgarner, Pussycat Doll Nicole Scherzinger and Momoa's on-screen spouse, Emilia Clarke, and real-life partner, Lisa Bonet, also got involved.
Momoa's Instagram account is currently dedicated to the issue with a link to an online petition pasted as his status. The Instagram account @ProtectMaunakea also hosts pictures of hundreds of people who have posted signs in support of the conservation efforts. Organisers protested off social media as well by holding a worldwide sign waving with participants from Hawaii, Alaska, New York City, Las Vegas, Kentucky, Arizona, Tahiti and Tonga.
The Thirty-Meter Telecope's web site also has coverage.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday April 12 2015, @07:36PM
When this current world culture finally becomes extinct, and another culture takes hold many years later, makes scientific progress, they won't find anything special belonging to this time. Like we find huge tombs of Pharos in Egypt and elsewhere in the world.
Little creatures always thinking of their own conservation, as if their culture/religion is the most important thing ever, and nothing else matters. Ask any of them if they could build these telescopes, or if anyone knew what they were for, or what they could mean to the future of the human species. There will probably be no answer.
If the telescopes find anything of value to the human race, these same people who are protesting will be first in line to reap the benefits.
This world as a whole has lost its idealism. No one's willing to go through any pain for the human race. Those who do are shunned and outcast.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday April 12 2015, @08:08PM
When this current world culture finally becomes extinct, and another culture takes hold many years later, makes scientific progress, they won't find anything special belonging to this time. Like we find huge tombs of Pharos in Egypt and elsewhere in the world.
We have cities covering entire continental coastlines, we have a trans-planetary communications network, we have spots stadiums that dwarf anything Romans and Greeks ever built, we have factories, roads, airports... so many impressive things that the ancient world couldn't dream of!
Call me a nerd, but that's way cooler that oversized tombstones.
Little creatures always thinking of their own conservation
As do big creatures. The technical term for those who don't is "extinct".
as if their culture/religion is the most important thing ever
That's because it is, importance is relative.
(Score: 1) by khallow on Sunday April 12 2015, @08:26PM
When this current world culture finally becomes extinct, and another culture takes hold many years later, makes scientific progress, they won't find anything special belonging to this time.
Like a huge telescope complex on the top of Mauna Kea? That's already there.
This world as a whole has lost its idealism. No one's willing to go through any pain for the human race. Those who do are shunned and outcast.
Nonsense. Plenty of people are willing to sacrifice. But they just don't put a lot of thought into it. The ritual is more important than the outcome.
If the telescopes find anything of value to the human race, these same people who are protesting will be first in line to reap the benefits.
Don't be silly. There's nothing that telescope will observe that will be of near future value to the general inhabitants of Hawaii. If they're lucky, it might find enough of value to justify building more instruments which will employ some Hawaiians and help their economy a bit.