Chile’s Atacama Dark Skies Under Siege: A Dire Warning for Global Science and America’s Interests

In the remote Atacama Desert of Chile—a jewel for astronomers worldwide—the battle lines are drawn between unfettered industrial expansion and the preservation of one of Earth’s last truly dark skies. This desert, boasting ideal conditions for astronomy due to its extreme dryness, high elevation, and exceptional isolation from light pollution, stands on the precipice of losing its unrivaled night sky. The stakes? Nothing less than the future of ground-breaking astronomical research that benefits all humanity—including American scientists who rely heavily on data from these international observatories. The proposed construction of a vast renewable energy complex mere kilometers from the Paranal...