The Arecibo Telescope was a 305-meter radio telescope that was built in 1963 into a natural sinkhole at the Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico.

Last week, a cable above the observatory snapped, leading to its total collapse. The telescope¢¥s 900-ton receiver platform fell more than 100 meters onto the reflector dish below. However, the radio telescope was already damaged, and it was scheduled to be demolished in November because of pre-existing damage.

The Arecibo Observatory played a key role in astronomical discoveries for more than half a century. It was primarily used for research in radio astronomy and atmospheric science, as well as programs that searched for extraterrestrial intelligence. Its unique and futuristicdesign led to several appearances in film and gaming. In 1995 it appeared in the fight scene in the James Bond film ¡®Golden Eye¡¯.

Difficult words: sinkhole (a hole formed by water), extraterrestrial intelligence (intelligent life outside the earth), futuristic (looking like something from the future).