The historic Lowell Observatory, which discovered the now-dwarf planet of Pluto, announced this week that it will drastically reduce internally funded research and shrink its paid science staff to just two permanent positions as it grapples with a sustained decline in grant funding and mounting financial pressures.

In a message to staff and in a public statement, the historic Flagstaff observatory said it will consolidate its research support around two priority areas planetary defense and exoplanet research and move to a funding model that requires most scientists to secure external grants to cover their salaries and project costs. Under the new approach, Lowell will continue to operate its facilities and welcome independent researchers, but it will no longer underwrite the majority of r

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