Years after the collapse of the Arecibo Observatory, its extensive datasets remain instrumental in advancing astronomical research. In a study led by Sofia Sheikh from the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI) Institute, data from the observatory was utilised to uncover new details about pulsar signals. These dense neutron stars emit beams of radiation likened to “cosmic lighthouses,” and their signals undergo distortions as they traverse the interstellar medium. Findings from this research were published in The Astrophysical Journal on November 26. Pulsar Signals and Interstellar Scintillation The study explored how pulsar signals are affected by interstellar gas and dust. Researchers investigated 23 pulsars, including six previously unstudied, revealing insights into distortive phenomena called diffractive interstellar scintillation (DISS). This phenomenon, which resembles the rippling patterns caused by light passing through water, is attributed to interactions between pulsar signals and charged particles in space. The Role of Arecibo’s Archival Data The now-defunct Arecibo radio telescope, once spanning 305 metres, collapsed in December 2020 due to cable failures. Despite its destruction, the data collected over decades continues to …