An alien signal? Indian astronomer receives radio bursts from a dead galaxy
Produced by Tarun Mishra
Produced by Tarun Mishra
An Indian astronomer, Vishwangi Shah has identified an alien-like signal, a Fast Radio Burst (FRB), originating from outside a dead galaxy. These bursts are brief but extremely powerful radio wave emissions from deep space.
The signal, designated FRB 20240209A, is the first of its kind confirmed to come from outside a dead galaxy, challenging previous theories linking FRBs to star-forming regions.
FRBs last only milliseconds but emit energy comparable to the Sun’s output over an entire year. Their brief duration and vast travel distances make them difficult to study.
Lead researcher Vishwangi Shah highlighted that the FRB’s distant location from its associated galaxy suggests it may have originated in a globular cluster—dense regions of old stars—outside the galaxy
Unlike past FRBs linked to active galaxies, this discovery suggests such signals can occur in areas without active star formation, offering new perspectives on their origins.
FRBs serve as tools to study the universe. Their radio waves provide data on cosmic matter, magnetic fields, and the density of intergalactic space, offering clues about the early universe.
The findings, published in Astrophysical Journal Letters, challenge established ideas about FRB origins and stress the importance of their environments in understanding these cosmic phenomena.
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