All articles tagged with #chile
Genetic analysis of 13 bone samples from the Camarones site in northern Chile uncovered two smallpox infections dating to 1492–1631, providing the strongest evidence yet that smallpox arrived in the Americas after European contact; researchers say the virus could have spread via established Native trade networks or through Africa during the slave trade, and note that smallpox was eradicated in 1980.
New ancient DNA from two Chilean mummies dating to 1492–1631 CE links the smallpox outbreak in the Americas to European contact, with the CAM9 lineage sitting between medieval European strains and later variants, providing genetic proof of early smallpox arrival in South America.
Retired Colonel Nelson Haase Mazzei, the last fugitive in the 1973 Víctor Jara murder, was arrested in Puyehue and ordered to begin a 25-year prison term after being convicted in absentia along with six other ex-soldiers, a case long pursued in the context of Pinochet’s dictatorship that killed or disappeared thousands.
The European Southern Observatory’s Extremely Large Telescope rotated its 3,500-ton structure for the first time on its Chilean mountaintop, marking a major milestone in its assembly. Weighing about 7.7 million pounds now, the ELT will grow larger as mirrors and instruments are installed later, ultimately surpassing 10 million pounds and enabling unprecedented views of the night sky.
A yearslong drought has slashed natural snowfall on Santiago’s Andean slopes, forcing artificial snow and suspending up to 90% of slopes, risking US$283 million in direct tourism impact (including US$228 million from foreign visitors) after 1.24 million skiers in 2025, while authorities push four-season activities as climate trends threaten precipitation; a weekend cold front could bring some snow.
Thousands of Chileans took to the streets in Santiago and 15 other cities on World Water Day to protest President José Antonio Kast’s withdrawal of dozens of environmental protections, including 43 decrees from the Boric era. Activists say 1.4 million Chileans still lack drinking water, while Kast defends deregulation and prioritizing economic goals. The protests underscored widespread opposition to the new administration’s approach to environmental policy.
Chile swore in hardline president Jose Antonio Kast, signaling the sharpest rightward turn in three decades. Kast pledged sweeping reforms, ordered audits of government ministries, and called for tougher crime measures including deploying troops to crime hotspots and building border barriers with Bolivia to curb undocumented migration.
Ultraconservative José Antonio Kast was sworn in as Chile's president in Valparaiso, marking the nation’s sharpest shift to the right since the return to democracy in 1990, with protests on inauguration day and outgoing President Boric greeting supporters as the transfer of power took place.
José Antonio Kast, a veteran far-right figure who has publicly supported Pinochet, won Chile’s presidency with 58% after campaigning on tough crime and immigration measures; the piece contrasts inflated fears with actual crime data, maps Kast’s political evolution and family links, and notes local reverberations and warnings as he begins shaping policy.
Chile becomes the first country in the Americas and the second globally to be verified by WHO/PAHO as having eliminated leprosy, a milestone achieved after decades of surveillance, prevention, early diagnosis, and universal access to care within a strong, inclusive health system that maintains vigilance against any future cases.
Chile has cancelled the $10 billion INNA green hydrogen and ammonia facility planned near Paranal Observatory in the Atacama Desert after astronomers warned it would raise light pollution, dust and ground vibrations, and disrupt atmospheric conditions vital for world-class telescopes. Regulators formally withdrew the project following talks with AES Andes, underscoring the need for stronger protections around Chile's premier observatory sites as facilities like the VLT and ELT continue to advance.
After January 2026 wildfires in southern Chile killed at least 20 and displaced tens of thousands, hundreds of volunteers from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints turned church buildings in Concepción, Providencia, Los Ángeles and Buin into donation centers to collect and distribute food, hygiene kits and other essentials, coordinating with government authorities and other faith groups. The effort, praised by interfaith partners, reflected resilience and service as church leadership expressed sorrow and solidarity with affected communities.
The First Presidency announced that the Puerto Montt Chile Temple will be built on a 5.8-acre site at Avenida Chamiza Lote 2 2015 in Pelluco, Puerto Montt, as a single-story, roughly 18,500-square-foot temple—the region’s first. Chile is home to about 613,000 Latter-day Saints in around 575 congregations; three temples currently operate there, with Santiago West under construction (began in 2024) and Puerto Montt and Viña del Mar announced. Temples are sacred houses of the Lord focused on covenants, marriages, and proxy ordinances, distinct from local meetinghouses.
A Space.com photo of the day features a panoramic view of the Milky Way above the Gemini South Observatory in Chile. The image highlights Gemini South's role in the International Gemini Observatory, its adaptive-optics-assisted infrared imaging, and NOIRLab's effort to power remote observatories with solar energy.
Wildfires across central and southern Chile killed at least 18 people, burned thousands of acres, and forced about 50,000 residents to evacuate. President Boric declared a state of catastrophe, ordered emergency measures including curfews and shelters, and firefighters struggled to contain blazes amid scorching heat and strong winds as the toll is expected to rise.