FAST overtakes the Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico as the biggest telescope of its kind.  Here's some more about the giant. FAST costs about 180-million US dollars, and one of its missions is to search for extra-terrestrial life. FAST has a fixed primary reflector located in a natural hollow in the ground.

Its dome-shaped surface constitutes nearly four-and-a-half thousand triangular panels, making it the size of 30 football fields. A 30-ton feed cabin above the reflector -- is the telescope's most important component cables and automation systems allow the cabin to move with high-detailed precision, and it aggregates the received data.

Experts say FAST has a much greater chance of discovering an alien civilization than previous technology. The project's chief scientist says its "radio-quiet" location will have an extraordinary impact on astronomy, and it should "revolutionize other aspects of the natural sciences".