A fast radio burst, or a strong pulse of energy, was tracked to a distant long-dead galaxy that astronomers never thought could produce such a signal.

Investigating the enigmatic origins of fast radio bursts (FRBs) has taken a surprising turn. These millisecond-long radio flares, radiating immense energy, have traditionally been linked to galaxies with active star formation.

Unusual detection bolsters evidence that the mysterious signals can be caused by different astrophysical events.

Astronomers have traced two mysterious fast radio bursts from space to wildly different places, which suggests the phenomenon may originate in diverse ways.

Fast radio bursts (FRBs) are one of the greater mysteries facing astronomers today, rivaled only by gravitational waves (GWs) and gamma-ray bursts (GRBs). Originally discovered in 2007 by American astronomer Duncan Lorimer (for whom the "Lorimer Burst" is named),

In February 2024, scientists on Earth detected a powerful radio blast from outer space. Seeking to discover where it had come from, they traced the brief flash of energy back to its extraterrestrial source—and discovered something unexpected.

Instead of finding the radio burst in a region of young stars, researchers traced its origin to the outskirts of a “dead” elliptical galaxy.

For the first time, astronomers have traced a fast radio burst (FRB) to the outskirts of an ancient, dead, elliptical galaxy—an unprecedented home for a phenomenon previously associated with much younger galaxies.

In a twist that’s got the astronomy world buzzing, scientists have picked up fast-repeating radio signals coming from a galaxy once thought to be out of action. Called Fast Radio Bursts (FRBs), these quick blips last just milliseconds but pack as much energy in that tiny moment as our sun does in a whole day.