The SKA Observatory is around three decades in the making and is the brainchild of astronomers from around the world, who came together in the 1980s to explore how radio waves can tell stories about the history of the universe.“The SKA Observatory’s telescopes will be one of humanity’s biggest-ever scientific endeavors,” said SKA Organization Director-General Professor Philip Diamond.“I have been involved with the SKA project for the past 30 years, so to finally see the start of on-site construction is a momentous occasion.”Once it is up and running, the SKA Observatory will use its unparalleled sensitivity to detect radio signals emitted by cosmic sources billions of light years away.This will take the field of radio astronomy into new terrain, allowing scientists to probe the mysteries of dark matter and dark energy, and study the early chapters of the universe by documenting the births and deaths of early stars to understand how galaxies formed.“More excitingly, if there are intelligent societies on nearby stars with technology similar to ours, the SKA could detect the aggregate 'leakage' radiation from their radio and telecommunication networks – the first telescope sensitive enough to achieve this feat.”Source: SKA Observatory, ScimexPlease keep comments to less than 150 words."