Mystery radio signals coming to us from space deeper than scientists thought
Researchers at McGill University have found that the fast radio bursts located just 500 million light-years away from Earth may be deeper in space, according to a new study
Researchers say mysterious signals coming from space are deeper than first thought (Image: bjdlzx)
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Since fast radio bursts (FRBs) were first discovered over a decade ago, scientists have puzzled over what could be generating these intense flashes of radio waves from outside of our galaxy. In a gradual process of elimination, the field of possible explanations has narrowed as new pieces of information are gathered about FRBs – how long they last, the frequencies of the radio waves detected, and so on.
Now, a team led by McGill University researchers and members of Canada’s CHIME Fast Radio Burst collaboration has established that FRBs include radio waves at frequencies lower than ever detected before, a discovery that redraws the boundaries for theoretical astrophysicists trying to put their finger on the source of FRBs.
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IMAGE: A burst from the periodically active repeating fast radio burst source 20180916B arrives at the LOFAR telescope. The higher frequency radio waves (purple) arrive earlier than the lower frequency radio. view more
Credit: Futselaar / ASTRON / Tendulkar
Since fast radio bursts (FRBs) were first discovered over a decade ago, scientists have puzzled over what could be generating these intense flashes of radio waves from outside of our galaxy. In a gradual process of elimination, the field of possible explanations has narrowed as new pieces of information are gathered about FRBs - how long they last, the frequencies of the radio waves detected, and so on.