The Einstein Telescope In Sardinia: Where The Sky Meets The Earth 0 Comments

Sardinia, land of ancient civilizations and natural beauty, is preparing to host one of the most fascinating scientific challenges of our time: the potential construction of the Einstein Telescope (ET), an underground observatory for the study of gravitational waves. This cutting-edge project could transform the island into an international scientific hub, with important economic, technological, and cultural implications.

Italy’s candidacy is no coincidence. Sardinia, which for millennia has observed the sky with the intelligence of its Nuragic civilizations, now proposes itself as a guardian of the future. In Sardinia, the sky has always met the earth, as demonstrated by archaeological evidence indicating that the Nuragic people had advanced knowledge of the sky, and that astronomy played an important role in their religious, social, and practical life. Many nuraghi appear to be oriented toward the sunrise during solstices and equinoxes, and the Tombs of the Giants and The Janas Hypogeic Tombs often show astronomical alignments. Even more extraordinary are the Holy Wells & Sacred Springs, such as the Nuragic Complex Of Santa Cristina In Paulilatino, whose structure is oriented to let in the moonlight during the major lunar standstill. This link between the sacred and the sky finds a contemporary echo in the ET project.

The Einstein Telescope is a third-generation underground observatory designed to detect gravitational waves: tiny ripples in spacetime predicted by Einstein in his theory of general relativity. These waves, generated by cosmic events such as the merging of black holes or neutron stars, offer scientists crucial information about the origin and evolution of the universe.

Compared to current observatories, the Einstein Telescope will be much more sensitive, capable of detecting signals from greater distances and with greater precision, bringing gravitational science to a new frontier.

The selected site in Sardinia is Sos Enattos, a former mining area near Lula, in the province of Nuoro. Located about 116 km (1 hour and 40 minutes) from the Gabbiano Azzurro Hotel & Suites, it was chosen for a series of geophysical and environmental characteristics ideal for a highly sensitive observatory like the Einstein Telescope: 

• Low seismicity and geological stability
• Absence of anthropogenic noise
• Extremely low acoustic and light pollution
• Presence of pre-existing infrastructure used for scientific experiments

Hosting the Einstein Telescope would mean for Sardinia:

1. Economic and employment development

2. Growth of scientific tourism

3. Global promotion of the island as an international scientific hub

4. Emphasis on the island’s historical and astronomical identity, highlighting its long-standing role as an observer of the sky

5. Investment in the future of young people – the Einstein Telescope would foster the development of new scientific and technological skills among Sardinian youth, helping to counter the “brain drain”

The final decision on the location of the Einstein Telescope, initially expected by the end of 2024, has been postponed to 2025. The choice will be made at the European level based on scientific, technical, and socio-economic criteria. The two main candidate sites are: 

• Sardinia: Sos Enattos
• The Netherlands: Limburg region

Whether or not Sos Enattos is chosen, being considered for a project of such magnitude is already a victory for Sardinia, a testament to its extraordinary vocation for combining nature, memory, and vision.

“Just as the Nuragic people watched the sky to read the time of the earth, today Sardinia aspires to read the time of the universe.” (Anonymous)

Written by Daniela Toti