World-class Jodrell Bank faces threat as UK risks physics brain drain

In December 1945, a physicist named Bernard Lovell began studying cosmic rays, which are high-energy particles travelling through space. Using old radar equipment, he unexpectedly detected radio signals from the paths left by shooting stars. This discovery marked the beginning of radio astronomy at Jodrell Bank.

A year later, the team at Jodrell Bank used a radar mounted on a searchlight to track fast-moving meteors. In 1957, just as they finished building the Lovell telescope – then the world's largest radio telescope – they were able to track the Soviet satellite Sputnik. The Lovell telescope was the only instrument capable of doing so.

Jodrell Bank has been updated over the decades and remains a leading facility. It is also part of a seven-telescope network called e-Merlin, which represents the UK's main radio astronomy capability. However, as of Monday, this network and Jodrell Bank itself are facing closure. The Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) plans to stop providing funding in March 2028. All scientific observations will have to cease unless alternative financial support is found.

Radio astronomy is not a niche field; it has significantly changed our understanding of the universe. Through this technique, astronomers have discovered rapidly spinning neutron stars that emit powerful beams of energy, like cosmic lighthouses. They have observed matter gathering around enormous black holes and detected the faint signals remaining from the Big Bang.

While astronomers have access to other telescopes, UK researchers involved in many projects face substantial cuts. For example, the Rubin observatory in Chile has started a ten-year project, but the UK's contribution will decrease by 20%. Similarly, involvement in projects at an observatory in the Canary Islands will be reduced, and work on the Bison solar observation network will fall by 40%. The UK is also withdrawing from the Event Horizon Telescope collaboration, which famously captured the first image of a black hole. Astronomers have described this news as devastating and shocking.

Throughout this year, the STFC has stated it needs to save £162m by 2030. This financial difficulty stems from increased electricity and staff costs, as well as unfavourable exchange rates for international projects like CERN. However, reports suggest the financial shortfall might be much larger, potentially around £684m over four years.

Other areas of physics are also affected. Facilities like the Diamond synchrotron and the Isis neutron source will face cuts but continue operating. The Clara facility, used for testing new particle accelerator technologies, is being temporarily closed. The operating budget for the Boulby mine, the UK's only deep underground science facility, is being reduced by 40%. Furthermore, there is no funding secured for the LHCb experiment at CERN, which could lead to its early termination and the loss of 80% of its potential data.

The STFC intends to focus its available funds on specific research areas. However, top scientists tend to move to where the best research is happening. Recent surveys indicate that almost 80% of early-career physicists are considering leaving the UK due to these funding cuts. Even a small number of departures would be detrimental to UK science and the nation's economic growth. The challenge now is to convince these researchers to remain in the country.