News

First in the face of the emergency: The ALMA Brigade

First in the face of the emergency: The ALMA Brigade

It was around 8 p.m. when the alerts went off at the Jama border crossing. On 25 April, the driver of a bus carrying Brazilian tourists had lost control, killing two people and injuring 40. While the local media were recording the tragedy, a team wearing different uniforms from the local firefighters appeared to work alongside them: it was...

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Our new RDE&I Officer previews her 2025 plan for Cultural Diversity at ALMA

Our new RDE&I Officer previews her 2025 plan for Cultural Diversity at ALMA

"It was unreachable". That was the impression that Valezka Galdames, our new Respect, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Officer, had of ALMA before taking up her position on 8 April. The desert and its climate takes her back to her youth in Chuquicamata, where she lived for 9 years, but back then "I knew very little about ALMA, I saw...

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Neighbours at height: The Chajnantor Working Group

Neighbours at height: The Chajnantor Working Group

Did you know that near our antennas we have a Guinness World Record? That is the case of the TAO Project, the Japanese observatory that was inaugurated this month at 5,640 metres above sea level. What science will it be able to achieve, what will its security be like, its power source, its fibre optics, etc.? These are some...

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Plastic caps that change lives: Our recycling at OSF

Plastic caps that change lives: Our recycling at OSF

At ALMA, a plastic bottle cap can save lives and the planet. That is the spirit of our colleagues' recycling scheme at the observatory, which aims to create a sustainable environment and helps children with cancer at the Luis Calvo Mackenna and San Juan de Dios hospitals. The project was taken up again after the pandemic, says José Corro,...

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“Let’s dance”: our concert at SCO

“Let’s dance”: our concert at SCO

Suedehead", "Talking in your sleep", "Kiss and tell"... hits that marked the 80's pop, and that were played live outside our offices in Santiago, a week ago. "The idea of our band is a tribute to the music of the 80's, those songs that everyone knows them, but they don't play in a pub. We wanted people to have...

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Earth Day: ecological actions at ALMA

Earth Day: ecological actions at ALMA

Our work consists of observing the Universe, but we never forget that our life is here on Earth, and we are responsible for it. That is why this April 22 we are commemorating another Earth Day to raise awareness about caring for the planet. What are we doing at ALMA to mitigate our impact on the environment?Water fountainsWith the...

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