Fast radio bursts (FRB) are one of the most perplexing phenomena in space, and until now, no space scientists have succeeded in giving a convincing explanation to these signals coming from the dark nooks of the universe.
Now, a new study conducted by an international team of researchers led by scientists at the Canadian Hydrogen Intensity Mapping Experiment Fast Radio Burst Project (CHIME/FRB) in British Columbia has detected a mysterious FRB that comes from a galaxy which is located almost 500 million light-years away.
Fast radio bursts that come in regular intervals
Interestingly, these newly discovered fast radio bursts come in a 16.35-day cycle. This pattern includes one or two bursts per hour over a four-day period, followed by a 12-day silence before starting up again.
Scientists have named this mysterious signal FRB 180916.J0158+65. Since its discovery in 2017, the signals have repeated steadily, and it adds up the mystery quotient surrounding this FRB. During the study, scientists studied 28 fast radio bursts that came between September 2018, and October 2019. Analysis of these 28 FRBs helped scientists to conclude that these bursts are following a regular pattern.
What causes these fast radio bursts?
In their study report, researchers suggested that the signals might be sent by a space body orbiting a star that sends signals out only at a certain interval in its orbit. Scientists also suggested that these signals could be sent by a binary star system made up of a massive star and a magnetized neutron star.
Even though scientists have not mentioned anything, they have not ruled out the fact that these mysterious signals could be sent by advanced alien beings living in deep space. As the search for extraterrestrial life continues in full swing, learning more about these fast radio bursts and their origin might give valuable insights about alien worlds in the universe.
