A fabricated news story circulating on social media platform X falsely claims that China's Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical Radio Telescope (FAST) was in ruins. This misinformation, posted on Monday, gained traction with over half a million views.

The image accompanying the post showed debris from the Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico, U.S., which collapsed in late 2020 due to structural issues.

The post highlighted how China boasted FAST is the world's largest and most powerful single-dish radio telescope, surpassing Arecibo's performance by a factor of 2.25.

Ironically, the very destruction depicted in the incorrectly identified image supports this claim.

Funded by the U.S. Department of Defense in the 1960s, Arecibo held the title of top telescope for decades. However, with the construction of FAST, the torch was passed.

According to a news article posted on Nature magazine's website, the observatory will not be rebuilt but instead turned into an educational center. The article also said, "Astronomers are heartbroken."

FAST currently stands as the sole telescope of its kind in the world.

This fake news isn't a new tactic. Similar claims emerged on X, then known as Twitter, when Arecibo collapsed, falsely portraying it as China's.

Proactive maintenance utilizing robotic technology safeguards FAST's critical components, preventing such a scenario.

The good news is that FAST is open for business. The telescope is currently accepting proposals for observation time in the upcoming season, from August 2024 to July 2025. Aspiring researchers can visit the official FAST website for details.