World-class Jodrell Bank under threat as UK physics faces funding crisis
The UK's Science and Technology Facilities Council plans to cut funding for the iconic Jodrell Bank radio telescope and other major physics projects, risking a brain drain as nearly 80% of early-career physicists consider leaving.
Jodrell Bank Observatory, born in 1945 when physicist Bernard Lovell used an army surplus radar to study cosmic rays and discovered radio reflections from meteor trails, has been a world leader in radio astronomy. The Lovell telescope, completed in 1957, was the largest radio telescope at the time and famously tracked the Soviet Sputnik satellite. Today, it anchors the e-Merlin network of seven telescopes, the UK's national radio astronomy facility.
But as of Monday, that network and Jodrell Bank itself face closure. The Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) plans to end funding in March 2028. All observations will stop unless alternative support is found. Radio astronomy has transformed our understanding of the universe, from spinning neutron stars to the afterglow of the Big Bang.
The cuts are part of STFC's effort to save £162m by 2030, driven by rising electricity and staff costs and unfavorable exchange rates for international collaborations like CERN. However, data suggests the overrun could reach £684m over four years. Other projects are also hit: the Diamond synchrotron and Isis neutron source face cuts; Clara test facility is mothballed; Boulby mine's budget slashed by 40%; and the LHCb experiment at the Large Hadron Collider may terminate early, leaving 80% of data uncollected.
STFC wants to prioritize specific research areas, but scientists will go where the best science is. A recent survey found nearly 80% of early-career physicists are considering leaving the UK. The loss of even a fraction would be a devastating blow to UK science and growth.