The world’s largest radio telescope began operating in southwestern China on Sunday, a project which Beijing says will help humanity search for alien life. The world's largest telescope was built in Guizhou, a province in China and it will begin its operation by the end of this month. The massive radio telescope took five years to be built.

Earlier this year, it was reported that approximately 9,000 residents were relocated to give way to China's search for alien life. The residents were relocated because of their proximity to the telescope that has a 1,640 feet diameter and is believed to be as large as 30 football fields. Researchers quoted by state media said FAST would search for gravitational waves, detect radio emissions from stars and galaxies and listen for signs of intelligent extraterrestrial life.

"The ultimate goal of FAST is to discover the laws of the development of the universe," Qian Lei, an associate researcher with the National Astronomical Observatories of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, told state broadcaster.  The area surrounding the telescope is remote and relatively poor. Xinhua earlier said it was chosen because there are no major towns nearby.