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ASTRONOMY Legendary hangs in the balance US National Science Foundation looks to slash funding for Puerto Rico’s Arecibo .

BY ALEXANDRA WITZE, GRAPEVINE, TEXAS

t is the that hunts killer asteroids, probes distant cosmic blasts and decades ago sent Earth’s most powerful Imessage to the . Yet the storied , an enormous aluminium dish nestled in a Puerto Rican sinkhole, might

soon find itself out of the science game. GROUP VIA GETTY UNIVERSAL IMAGES The US National Science Foundation (NSF), which owns the observatory, wants to offload the facility to free up money for newer ones. In the coming weeks, it will ask for ideas about how Arecibo might be managed if the NSF reduces its current US$8.2-million annual contribution. By May, the agency plans to release a final environmental-impact statement, a federally mandated analysis of the effects of various scenarios — from con- tinuing to run Arecibo to mothballing or even demolishing its iconic dish. Soon after that, the NSF will decide which path to take. Arecibo advocates are not going to let the telescope die without a fight. On 4 Janu- ary, they pressed their case at a meeting Researchers hope that there is a way to stop the iconic Arecibo Observatory from closing down. of the American Astronomical Society in Grapevine, Texas — arguing that Arecibo is “It is still a state-of-the-art observatory,” review have found potential partners: New putting out some of the best science it has ever says Nicholas White, senior vice-president Mexico State University in Las Cruces is done, and that the NSF is moving too quickly for science at the Universities Space Research leading an effort to take over the Dunn Solar to divest itself of an astronomical treasure. Association in Columbia, Maryland, which Telescope in Sunspot, New Mexico. Others “Arecibo definitely has a future,” says helps to manage Arecibo for the NSF. remain in limbo, including the 100-metre Francisco Cordova, the observatory’s direc- NSF officials agree. But they say they need radio telescope in Green Bank, West , where tor. “Though it will be a different future.” money for new projects such as the Large university partners have offered limited help. Arecibo is playing a key part in illuminat- Synoptic Survey Telescope, which is under In October, the NSF released a draft envi- ing the mystery of fast radio bursts, which are construction in Chile (see ‘On the block’). A ronmental impact statement for Arecibo that emerging as a completely new class of celestial 2012 review of the NSF’s portfo- outlines how various management options phenomenon. And at the astronomy meet- lio recommended cutting support for some would affect everything from endangered ing, observatory scientists revealed a previ- of its smaller and older facilities. Although plants to local tourism. The NSF would pre- ously unknown contributor to the Universe’s Arecibo was not among them, the report rec- fer to find collaborators to shoulder most cosmic background glow — cold ommended that the NSF evaluate the facility’s of the cost of operating the observatory for — plus a pair of that has sur- status later in the decade. science purposes. But the draft statement prisingly erratic radio emissions. Some of the targeted in the includes the possibility of shuttering the

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pulsars. Between Arecibo and Green Bank, ON THE BLOCK the team is just now reaching the sensitivity The US National Science Foundation is planning to divest itself of older to free up money for newer facilities. at which it should be able to detect gravita- tional . “We’re so close,” says Xavier SOURCE: NSF Telescope Location Status Siemens, an astrophysicist at the University Arecibo Observatory (radio) Puerto Rico Environmental-impact study under way of Wisconsin–Milwaukee. “Losing Arecibo (radio) West Virginia Has left National Observatory; would mean losing US leadership in the field.” environmental impact study underway Arecibo also has a unique role in stimu- Long Baseline Observatory (radio) 10 US Has left National Radio Astronomy Observatory; lating public interest in science, says Edgard locations part-time funding from US Navy Rivera-Valentín, a planetary specialist at McMath–Pierce Solar Telescope (solar) Arizona Likely to close this year the observatory. Like many Puerto Ricans, he Mayall 4-Meter Telescope (optical) Arizona To transition to Department of Energy for dark- first visited Arecibo as a child, on a family trip. energy studies “It just blew me away,” he says. “I knew pretty WIYN 3.5-metre observatory (optical) Arizona NSF to partner with NASA for exoplanet studies much then that I wanted to do astronomy.” The NSF pays for roughly two-thirds of Global Oscillation Network Group Six locations National Oceanic and Atmospheric (solar) worldwide Administration to share operating costs Arecibo’s $12-million annual budget. Half of that comes from its astronomy division and Richard B. Dunn Solar Telescope New Mexico Likely to transition to consortium led by New (solar) Mexico State University half from its atmospheric and geospace sci- ences division, which uses Arecibo to study SOAR 4.1-metre telescope (optical and Chile To be reviewed Earth’s . The remainder comes from near-infrared) NASA, which tracks near-Earth asteroids from SOAR, Southern Astrophysical Research; WIYN, Wisconsin–Indiana–Yale–National Optical Astronomy Observatory. Arecibo and would probably keep doing so if other collaborators stepped in to make up for facility, and even details which explo- drastic,” says James Ulvestad, head of the NSF cutbacks. sive would be needed to dismantle the NSF’s astronomy division. Arecibo’s current operating contract ends 305-metre-wide dish. Gravitational- astronomers are in March 2018. After that, new approaches to NSF officials included this bleak option among those who are unhappy about the make ends meet could include charging scien- to satisfy federal rules that require them to idea of Arecibo going offline. The interna- tists hourly rates to use the observatory, instead describe the environmental impact of all tional NANOGrav consortium uses about of having them apply for time through federal possible outcomes. “We specifically leaned 850 hours of Arecibo time each year to dis- agencies. “This is where the rubber hits the towards making things look a bit more cern how ripples in space-time affect radio road,” says White. ■

DRUG DISCOVERY Chemists warn against deceptive molecules Spice extract curcumin dupes assays and leads some drug hunters astray.

BY MONYA BAKER often show up as ‘hits’ in drug screens, but be unlikely to yield a drug. nside the golden-yellow spice turmeric “Curcumin is a cautionary tale,” says Michael lurks a chemical deceiver: curcumin, a Walters, a medicinal chemist at the University molecule that is widely touted as having of Minnesota in Minneapolis, and lead Imedicinal activity, but which also gives false author of the review (K. M. Nelson et al. signals in drug screening tests. For years, J. Med. Chem. http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/ KAI WONG/ISTOCK/GETTY chemists have urged caution about curcumin acs.jmedchem.6b00975; 2017), published and other compounds that can mislead naive on 11 January. Commonly used drug drug hunters. screens detect whether a chemical latches Now, in an attempt to stem a continuing on to a binding site of a protein implicated flow of muddled research, scientists have in disease — a hint that it may be the start- published the most comprehensive criti- ing point for a drug. But some molecules, cal review yet of curcumin — concluding such as curcumin, seem to show such specific that there’s no evidence it has any specific activity when there is none. The mol­ecules therapeutic benefits, despite thousands of may fluoresce naturally, foiling attempts to research papers and more than 120 clinical use fluorescence as a signal of protein bind- trials. The scientists hope that their report will ing. They may disrupt cell membranes, prevent further wasted research and alert the duping assays that try to spot drugs target- unwary to the possibility that chemicals may Turmeric — a source of wasted effort and funding. ing specific cell-membrane proteins. And

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