New Atlas

Space Audio available

Revolutionary new telescope picks up 13 fast radio burst signals, including one repeater

Michael Irving January 9, 2019

The CHIME telescope has picked up 13 unexplained radio signals coming from beyond the Milky Way. These fast radio bursts are part of one of the strangest mysteries of modern astronomy, but the new detections could help unlock their source, thanks to a rare one that seems to be repeating.

The revolutionary radio telescope CHIME has now detected 13 new fast radio burst signals, including a ...

Space Audio available

New Arecibo Message updates original attempt to contact ET

Michael Irving November 18, 2018

In 1974, astronomers used the Arecibo Observatory to beam a message from humanity to the stars, in one of the most well-known attempts to contact possible alien life. For the 44th anniversary of the Arecibo Message, scientists are reaching out to the public for help in designing an updated version.

The Arecibo Observatory, which was used to send the original Arecibo Message in 1974

Space

20 new deep-space radio signals detected by Outback telescopes

Michael Irving October 14, 2018

A huge radio telescope array spread across the Australian Outback is helping identify the mysterious fast radio bursts. Astronomers have now announced the discovery of 20 new FRBs in a bit over a year, including the brightest and closest events yet seen.

An artist's rendition of fast radio bursts, being detected by the ASKAP telescope in Western Australia

Electronics Audio available

Sprayable antennas turn surfaces into ultra-thin, transparent transmitters

Michael Irving September 23, 2018

As crucial as antennas are, the rigid metals they’re made of can limit what devices they can be built into. To help with that, researchers at Drexel University have developed a new kind of antenna that can be sprayed onto just about any surface.

The sprayable antenna is made of MXene, a 2D titanium carbide material, which is extremely conductive ...

Telecommunications

Molar Mic puts a wireless comms system inside the mouth

Paul Ridden September 12, 2018

Back in 2010, Sonitus Technologies introduced a novel in-mouth hearing aid called the SoundBite. Now the US Department of Defense has awarded the company a contract to develop a wireless two-way comms system that clips to a user's back teeth.

The Molar Mic clips to the back teeth and allows for two-way radio communications

Space Audio available

Most distant radio galaxy discovered beams signals from 12 billion light-years away

Michael Irving August 8, 2018

An international team of astronomers has detected the most distant radio galaxy ever observed. By measuring the redshift of its light, the researchers determined that the object is about 12 billion light-years away, which dates it back to when the universe itself was just a kid.

Astronomers have detected the most distant radio galaxy ever observed, about 12 billion light-years away

Space Audio available

The giant rogue planet abuzz with auroral radio signals

Michael Irving August 5, 2018

A brown dwarf was recently downgraded to planet status (albeit a huge one), and now astronomers have discovered that it generates an enormous magnetic field, which could provide a new tool in the search for exoplanets.

An artist's rendition of SIMP J01365663+0933473, a massive rogue planet with a surprisingly strong magnetic field

Space

South Africa's MeerKAT telescope snaps stunning shot of Milky Way center

Michael Irving July 16, 2018

The MeerKAT radio telescope array is finally up and running in South Africa. To show off what the facility can do, astronomers have pointed all 64 antennas towards the center of the Milky Way galaxy, and snapped one of the clearest shots ever taken of the mysterious region.

Taken by MeerKAT, this shot shows a 1,000 x 500 light-year area of the center of ...

Space

Australian telescope picks up brightest fast radio burst space signal ever detected

Michael Irving March 15, 2018

Fast radio bursts (FRBs) are strange, extremely bright and mysterious signals from space. Now, astronomers at Australia’s Parkes Observatory have recorded three new signals in relatively quick succession – one of which is the brightest FRB ever detected.

The radio telescope at the Parkes Observatory in Australia has picked up the brightest fast radio ...

Drones

DroneGun Tactical jams more punch into smaller package

Michael Irving January 30, 2018

Drones are increasingly crowding the airspace, so it’s only natural that the counter-drone market is growing too. The wide arsenal from DroneShield just got a little wider with the DroneGun Tactical, a new handheld jamming weapon that disrupts more frequencies from a smaller, more portable package.

The DroneGun Tactical is smaller than the previous anti-drone model, but can jam a wider range ...