A giant telescope was supposed to answer the universe’s big questions. Now the project has been rocked by misconduct claims

The organisation that manages the Square Kilometre Array Observatory has denied whistleblower allegations of financial mismanagement

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It is hailed as a global endeavour to explore the hidden universe – a powerful telescope comprising more than 130,000 antennae being built in outback Western Australia.

Along with a sister telescope in South Africa, the Square Kilometre Array Observatory is a €2bn (A$3.6bn) project tasked with mapping the first billion years of the universe.

One day, the SKAO’s antennae – which look like metal Christmas trees scattered across the desert – could confirm the existence of extraterrestrial life, prove Einstein’s theory of relativity and explain how galaxies have evolved over time.