Because an FRB is so incredibly short, astronomers cannot say with certainty where exactly they come from. There are many theories about the origin. They range from aliens to a dying star.
‘Other side of the universe’
Assistant professor Kiyoshi Masui led the research of the Massachusetts Institute for Technology. He says the origin of the powerful eruptions remains a mystery. “So far we have only been able to see them on the other side of the universe.” It is therefore extra special that the signal observed last April comes from our own Milky Way.
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“This is the first time that we have been able to trace such a special FRB to a specific object,” says Masui. The observed signal is most likely from a neutron star with a very strong magnetic field. The hope is that the FRB can help further unravel the origin and origin of these types of pulses.
Extreme conditions
It is certain that an enormous amount of energy and extreme conditions are required for an FRB. On Earth, we don’t have to worry right away. Although such a signal is incredibly strong at its source, it comes from so far away that when it reaches us, it is comparable to 1 / 1000th the radiation from a cell phone from the moon.
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The research was done by an international team of scientists using different telescopes around the world and in space. It is published in Nature.
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