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from the they-will-just-have-to-hubble-along dept.
From Nature.com:
Hawaii's supreme court has ruled that the construction permit for the Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT) on top of the mountain Mauna Kea is invalid. The 2 December decision is a major blow to the international consortium backing the US$1.5-billion telescope, and a win for the Native Hawaiians who have protested against its construction on what they regard as a sacred summit.
And the top reddit comment on the article, which I found neatly summed up the situation.
I spent time in Hawaii and talked to locals that were born and raised there about this issue. Its polarizing.
People against it brought up the need for spirituality and respect for the Hawaiian culture lost over hundred of years of Western influence.
Argument for the telescope, however, claimed that building it would do nothing but respect their history. How did the ancient Hawaiians get to the island? They used the stars. It was "in their blood" to understand the heavens. Most of the those complaining are young disenfranchised people struggling in one of the crappiest economies in America.
Of course this could be a generalization based on second hand observation.
As for me, as big as these telescopes are, they look like ants on top of these massive volcanoes. Ruining the scenery is nonsense.
We covered the Groundbreaking for World's Largest Telescope nearly a month ago.
(Score: 2) by frojack on Saturday December 05 2015, @09:03AM
they will have less than 10 years of guaranteed operation - which seems like too little for a $1+ Billion telescope facility.
Sometimes you have to walk away, start looking for a site in Chile or Peru or where ever the second best location.
If the natives are demanding religion over knowledge there is no amount of arguing that will allow the safe installation and operation of that Billion dollar investment. No point in putting it someplace you need armed guards to keep the Luddites away.
Those who want to pursue STEM need to get off those islands into the world of serious people. My sister raised two boys that went on to be rocket scientists (yes, I'm serious) and she sent both of them off the Islands to do it.
No, you are mistaken. I've always had this sig.