Report details causes of Arecibo Observatory collapse after hurricane damage

A report from the National Academies of Sciences reveals that the Arecibo Observatory's collapse in December 2020 was caused by Hurricane Maria, an unprecedented equipment failure, and missed warning signs from engineers. Cables had been slipping out of their sockets for years before the disaster. The report highlights that the first cable failure occurred in August 2020, leading to the eventual collapse of the 900-ton platform. Inspectors failed to recognize the significance of the cable slippage, which should have prompted urgent action. The report also suggests that the unique electromagnetic radiation from Arecibo's powerful transmitter may have contributed to the failure of the cable sockets. This case marks the first documented instance of zinc creep causing such a structural failure in over a century.