You're listening to Shortwave from NPR.

The first word, Ed Rivera-Vellaneteen, ever spoke, was Luna, Moon in Spanish.

Ed grew up on the northern coast of Puerto Rico near the Aracibo Telescope.

The reason I am in astronomy and planetary science is because of that telescope.

My parents took me up there when I think I was three.

I remember looking over and just being completely and utterly stunned.

And getting to know that that type of science and that,

an instrument so valuable for the entire world was literally in my backyard,

was something that just told me, okay, this is what I have to do.

I have to be part of this community.

I have to get to do this really cool science.

Ed does really cool science.

They even ended up working at the telescope itself for several years.

I've heard people say that when they go up to it,

it's almost a religious experience.

You approach the planet.

The telescope is huge.

The dish is a thousand feet in diameter and covers just about 20 acres.

Suspended above is a 900 ton platform that holds a bunch of scientific instruments.

It was constructed in the 1960s and now,

Ed says that the telescope has permeated much of Puerto Rican culture.

When you're walking around San Juan and looking at the art,

...