Jodrell Bank Observatory: A New UNESCO World Heritage Site

Environmental & Science Education
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Astronomy
Cosmology
History of Science
Edward Hessler


Jodrell Bank Observatory, part of the University of Manchester, UK, has been named a World Heritage Site. Scientific research began there in 1945.

The BBC has a great article about Jodrell with photographs and links.  Here are a few quotes from their report.

--The site pioneered the then new science of radio astronomy, which used radio waves instead of visible light to understand the universe.

--The site's new accolade marks the end of a decade-long bid to gain World Heritage status, following a 2010 application to be included on the UK's nominations shortlist.

--The Lovell Telescope, which was the world's largest telescope when it was completed in 1957, is now the third largest. 

--The observatory is among 32 sites in the UK - including Stonehenge and the Giant's Causeway - to receive World Heritage status and joins a list of 1,100 sites worldwide.

--A University of Manchester spokeswoman said the observatory fulfilled the judges' criteria, which included being "a masterpiece of human creative genius", due to its scientific achievements.

And here a short BBC video on Jodrell's World Heritage status.