Africa, Australia to host world's biggest radio telescope

PRETORIA, south africa???Australia and South Africa will share hosting of a giant radio telescope made up of thousands of dishes and intended to help scientists figure out the make-up of the universe, the international consortium overseeing the project said Friday.

South Africa led an African consortium that included Botswana, Ghana, Kenya, Madagascar, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia and Zambia.

South Africa and Australia, which partnered with New Zealand in bidding for the project, had competed fiercely. South Africa claimed victory Friday, saying it got two of the project's three major components.

"We may feel slightly disappointed that we didn't get the whole thing. But I think one should emphasize that we did get most of it," said Justin Jonas, the chief South African scientist on the project. "Two-thirds of the biggest instrument in the world is still the biggest instrument in the world."

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