In terms of sky coverage, FAST is a huge step forward for radio astronomy. It has expanded four times the volume of the space range that radio telescopes can effectively explore. This is a leap, and it means that "scientists can discover more unknown stars, cosmic phenomena and laws of the universe, or even detect extraterrestrial life," said Li Kejia, a scientist at the Kavli Institute for Astronomy and Astrophysics at Peking University. China never shies away from grandiose claims about its various accomplishments, but in this case, FAST may be truly revolutionary.
