Released in November 2021, the Astronomy and Astrophysics Decadal Survey—Astro2020—not only set scientific priorities for the discovery and study of potentially habitable worlds and finding answers to big questions about the nature of the Universe, but also emphasized the importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in the field of astrophysics. The inclusion of DEI initiatives in the report signals a shift in the industry, one for which the National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO) and its partners have been building a foundation for over a decade. 

The National Science Foundation (NSF) has awarded the National Radio Astronomy Observatory’s Central Development Laboratory (CDL) $250,000 in Partnerships for Innovation (PFI) funding to support the proof-of-concept development of high-performance reflectionless radio frequency filters at 40 GHz and above for high-frequency applications, including wireless and defense. 

Astronomers used the VLA to trace a corkscrew-shaped magnetic field in a powerful jet of material ejected from the core of a massive galaxy farther away from the central galaxy’s central black hole than ever seen before. The new images provide clues that will help understand the mechanics of such jets, which are seen throughout the Universe.

A system designed to provide streaming data from the VLA to SETI Institute equipment to search for radio transmissions possibly generated by extraterrestrial civilizations has successfully completed its first test.

The Astronomy and Astrophysics Decadal Survey (Astro2020) of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences has given high priority to the Next Generation Very Large Array (ngVLA) as part of its strategy and vision for the next decade of research at the frontiers of astronomy and astrophysics.

Water has been detected in the most massive galaxy in the early Universe, according to new observations from the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA). Scientists studying SPT0311-58 found H20, along with carbon monoxide in the galaxy, which is located nearly 12.88 billion light years from Earth. Detection of these two molecules in abundance suggests that the molecular Universe was going strong shortly after the elements were forged in early stars. The new research comprises the most detailed study of molecular gas content of a galaxy in the early Universe to date and the most distant detection of H20 in a regular star-forming galaxy.