Scientists have finally tracked a powerful blast of energy from deep space to its origin, leaving them stunned by what they found. The research, published in two new papers, reveals that the blast, known as a fast radio burst (FRB), originated from an ancient galaxy 11.3 billion years old and just two billion light-years away.
The discovery challenges existing understanding of where FRBs come from, with previous studies only finding these bursts emanating from younger galaxies. The researchers believe this could mean that the mysterious cosmic events are coming from a more diverse range of places than previously thought.
A team of scientists used advanced technology to track the burst back to its galaxy and were surprised by what they found – an enormous, 100 billion times more massive star system than our own sun. This is the most massive FRB host galaxy ever discovered, and one of the largest of any kind.
“This new discovery shows that even when we think we understand a phenomenon, the universe surprises us,” said Dr. Wen-fai Fong, a senior author on the study. “The universe is full of mysteries waiting to be uncovered, and this research is just one example of how exciting and thrilling our field of time-domain astronomy can be.”
The discovery has sparked significant interest among scientists, who are eager to learn more about these enigmatic events and their place in the universe.
Source: https://www.independent.co.uk/space/fast-radio-burst-signal-alien-b2683657.html