Fast radio bursts (FRBs) have long puzzled scientists, sparking debate over their origins. The enigmatic emissions were once thought to be signals from powerful alien civilizations. However, a team of researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) claims to have figured out FRBs.
The team focused on one particular FRB, FRB 20221022A, which originates from a galaxy 200 million light-years away. By analyzing its twinkle, they pinpointed its location and discovered that it came from a rotating neutron star just 10,000 kilometers away. This suggests the burst was formed in the neutron star’s magnetosphere.
The implications are significant, as this challenges the idea of FRBs being signals from extraterrestrial life. Instead, scientists propose that atoms would be torn apart by the magnetic fields near the neutron star. The energy stored in these fields is then twisted and released as radio waves.
Lead author Kenzie Nimmo explains that scientists are pushing against the limits of what the universe can produce. This discovery also sheds light on fundamental physics at the heart of our universe, particularly how bright radio emissions could escape an extreme plasma environment.
Source: https://www.dazeddigital.com/life-culture/article/65799/1/scientists-say-theyve-deciphered-alien-signals-from-outer-space-frb-neutron-star