Scientists Have Identified the Origin of an Extraordinarily Powerful Outer Space Radio Wave

The earth is Constantly receive space signals which contain vital information on extremely energetic phenomena. Among the most particular are brief impulses of high -energy radio waves, known as rapid radio (FRB). Astronomers compare them to a powerful lighthouse that shines during milliseconds in the middle of a rough and distant sea. The detection of one of these signals is a realization in itself, but the identification of its origin and the understanding of the nature of its source remains one of the great challenges of science.

This is why recent research by the Northwestern University in the United States has drawn the attention of the astronomical community. The team not only detected one of the brightest FRB ever recorded, but also traced its origin with unprecedented precision.

The pulse, identified as RBFLOAT, arrived in March 2025, lasted only a few milliseconds and released as much energy as the sun produces it in four days. Thanks to a new method of analysis, the researchers have located its origin in an arm of a spiral galaxy located at 130 million light years, in the direction of the Constellation of Ursa Major. Research was published in the journal Astrophysical newspaper letters.

The Carillon radio-telescope in Canada, one of the main observatories in the world, and a subnet of small stations called overgangers have detected the abnormal explosion. The chime characterized the signal, while the stabilizers triangulated it in a narrow area of ​​space. The optical and X -rays telescopes then provided additional data. The team has reached a precision of 13 parsecs, equivalent to 42 light years, in the Galaxy NGC 4141.

Astronomers had previously identified other FRB, but in these cases the signals were repeated, which made the analysis easier. “RBFLOAT was the first unrepeated source located on such precision,” said Sunil Simha, co-author of the study, in a university statement. “These are much more difficult to locate. Thus, even the detection of RBFLOAT is proof of concept that the chime is indeed capable of detecting such events and of building a statistically interesting sample of FRB. ”

What caused the RBFLOAT?

Scientists still do not know what causes RBFs, but they have some ideas. Due to the enormous energy they release and the brevity of the phenomenon, it is likely that they come from extreme cosmic events, such as neutron stars, magnetars or pulsars.

In the case of RBFLOAT, the data indicates that it is located in a region of star formation with truly massive stars. The triangulation places the signal in a galactic arm where new stars are also being born. This suggests that it could be a magnetar, a subclass of neutron star with a magnetic field of billions of times stronger than that of the earth.

The experience with RBFLOAT will allow the team to apply the same triangulation technique to future signals. The authors believe that they could carry out approximately 200 specific RBF detections per year with only the Chime Captures signals.

“For years, we know that the FRB occurs in the sky, but pinning them has been carefully slow. Now we can regularly attach them to specific galaxies, even up to districts of these galaxies,” said Yuxin Dong, another member of the team.

This story originally appeared on Wired in Español and was translated from Spanish.