Fast Radio Bursts

Astronomers have detected a radio signal that blares for several minutes at a time, every 21 minutes, and has been doing so for at least 35 years. This bizarre signal doesn’t fit any known object without some major revisions to current physics.

Over the last 15 years astronomers have detected hundreds of unexplained radio signals from space – fast radio bursts (FRBs). Now a fresh look at radio telescope data has doubled the number of known sources, bringing us closer to solving the mystery.

The intriguing cosmic mystery of fast radio bursts (FRBs) has now shed light (pun intended) on another mystery. By studying the signature of an FRB from a nearby galaxy, astronomers have found that the Milky Way has far less matter than expected.

Astronomers have detected an extremely strange radio signal from a distant galaxy that pulses with a heartbeat-like rhythm. This signal lasted about 1,000 times longer than other fast radio bursts, and had a clear periodic pattern to its pulses.

Astronomers have discovered a strange neutron star that challenges our understanding of them – but may help unlock the mystery of fast radio bursts. The object spins far slower than any known neutron star, and gives off seven types of radio pulses.

A new signal deepens the mystery of fast radio bursts with a few oddities – it hails from an unexpected region of space, and its pulses are about a million times shorter than most, which could indicate many others like it are going undetected.

Astronomers have discovered a bizarre radio signal in our galaxy that can’t be explained by any known object. When active the source gives off radio bursts lasting a minute, every 20 minutes, which should be impossible based on what we know about it.

A huge new dataset could soon help unlock the mystery of fast radio bursts (FRBs). Within a few weeks, over 1,600 new signals were detected coming from one of the most well-studied sources, essentially ruling out a leading hypothesis on their origin.

We might be one step closer to an answer for the intriguing cosmic mystery of fast radio bursts. By examining multiple “radio colors” simultaneously in a batch of repeating signals, astronomers have ruled out a leading model for their origin.

Astronomers are another step closer to solving the intriguing cosmic mystery of fast radio bursts. Five signals have been traced to their points of origin within the spiral arms of galaxies, narrowing down the list of suspects behind them.

The mystery of fast radio bursts may be closer to being solved. Astronomers studying a repeating signal from a nearby galaxy have detected radiation at the lowest frequency of any FRB found so far, providing new potential hints about their origin.

Space is an incredibly weird place. From extreme exoplanets to stars with strange fates, clues to an old mystery and the beginnings of a brand new one, here are 10 of the weirdest astronomical discoveries that blew our minds this year.