Jodrell Bank Observatory in Cheshire has been selected as the headquarters for a £1.3bn project to build the world's biggest radio telescope.
An agreement to run the Square Kilometre Array from Jodrell Bank was signed in Rome by Australia, China, the Netherlands, New Zealand, South Africa, France, Germany, Italy, and the UK.
SKA is designed to answer some key questions about the Universe.
Its location is undecided but could be built in Australia or Southern Africa.
Alien life
The new headquarters at Jodrell Bank will open in January 2012, superseding the existing project office at the University of Manchester.
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