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9000 Villagers in China Displaced to Hunt for Aliens
China doesn't want to lose the rat-race of becoming the first country in the world to make contact with aliens. China is apparently taking this mission more seriously than any other country in the world. It is one thing to invest huge sums of money, time and, energy into hunting for the extraterrestrial life and it is another to displace thousands of people out of their homes to realize this mission.
Last year, Chinese government announced its plans to build a colossal telescope, designed to keep an ear out for any alien noise. FAST, also known as Five Hundred Meter Aperture Spherical Telescope, is not only the largest but also the only kind of telescope ever been made by anyone, says News Independent
However, as per the latest updates about the project status revealed that in order to build this behemoth, some 9,000 villagers would have to be relocated from their homes. China has named this displacement as 'mass relocation' and not a forced eviction. A total of 2,000 families, located inside and near Pingtang and Luodian counties, the telescope site, are being relocated. All the individuals that are being affected by this movement will be paid an equivalent of $1,800 for their troubles and to setup a home somewhere else, reported Daily Galaxy
After its completion, 500-meter telescope will outdo Arecibo Observatory of Puerto Rico, one of the largest in the world. "With a larger signal receiving area and more flexibility, FAST will be able to scan two times more sky area than Arecibo, with three to five times higher sensitivity," commented Li Di, chief scientist with China's National Astronomical Observatories, as reported by Modernreaders.com
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