中国天眼：“聆听”宇宙深处

Core Viewpoint - China's FAST telescope has made significant advancements in detecting nanohertz gravitational waves, surpassing other telescopes in the number of pulsars discovered, with a total of 1,170 pulsars identified by November 5, 2025 [1][2]. Group 1: Scientific Achievements - The detection of nanohertz gravitational waves marks a new era in observational astronomy, with evidence published in a domestic academic journal, showcasing China's leading position in this field [2][3]. - FAST's precision monitoring of 57 pulsars over 3 years and 5 months has led to the discovery of nanohertz gravitational wave signals with a confidence level of 4.6 sigma and a false positive rate of less than one in fifty thousand [4][5]. - The telescope has also contributed to other significant discoveries, including the shortest orbital period binary pulsar system and the only actively repeating fast radio burst, expanding the boundaries of human understanding of the universe [5]. Group 2: Technological Advancements - FAST's operational efficiency is crucial for supporting scientific research, with an annual observation time of 5,300 hours, despite a competitive approval rate of 1 in 5 for observation time requests [6]. - The maintenance and operation of FAST involve continuous technological upgrades to ensure high performance and stability, which is essential for long-term scientific contributions [6][7]. - Future plans include the development of a hybrid aperture array around FAST to enhance its detection capabilities, addressing the increasing competition in the field of radio astronomy [7].