Scientists have identified the origin of a radio wave of super -powerful outer space

Is the land Continuously receiving space signals that contain vital information about very energetic phenomena. Among the strangest are the brief pulses of very energetic radio waves, known as Farb Radio (FRB). Astronomers compare them with a powerful lighthouse that shines for millions in the middle of a rough and distant sea. Diagnosis of one of these signals is an achievement in itself, but identifying its origin and understanding the nature of its source is one of the great challenges of science.

That is why recent research led by the Northwest University in the United States has attracted the attention of astronomical community. The team not only recognized one of the brightest FRBs ever registered, but also tracked its origin with an unprecedented career.

The pulse, known as RBFloat, arrived in March 2025, only a few milliseconds and released as much as the sun produced in four days. Thanks to a new method of analysis, the researchers put their origin in the arm of a spiral galaxy in 130 million light -years, in the URSA Major constellation. This research was published in the journal Letters of Astrophysical Magazine.

The Chime Radio Telescope in Canada, one of the leading FRB observatory in the world, and a subset of smaller stations called Outriggers, identified an unusual outburst. Chim specified the signal, while Outriggers brought it to a narrow area of ​​space. Optical and X -ray telescopes then offer complementary data. The team with 13 Pars, equivalent to 42 light -years, gained 4141 in Galaxy NGC.

Astronomers had previously identified other FRBs, but in these cases the signals were repeated, making this analysis easier. “RBFloat was the first non -recurring source to localize such accuracy,” said a colleague of the study. “This location is much harder. Therefore, even RBFloat’s recognition is to prove the concept that Cham is actually capable of identifying such events and making an interesting statistical sample of FRBs.”

What causes RBFloat?

Scientists are still not sure what causes RBFS, but they have ideas. Because of the enormous energy they release and lack of phenomenon, they are likely to originate from severe cosmic events such as the integration of neutron star, magnetism or pulse.

In the case of RBFloat, the data shows that it is in a star -made area with huge stars. The triangle puts the signal in a galactic arm in which new stars are born. This shows that it can be a magnetar, a sub -class of neutron star with a magnetic field billions of times stronger than Earth.

Experience with RBFloot allows the team to apply the same triangle technique to future signals. The authors estimate that they can obtain about 200 RBF diagnoses a year with only recorded signals.

“For years, we have known that the FRBs have happened throughout the sky, but their pin has been painful. Now, we can normally tie them with specific galaxies, even to the neighborhoods inside the galaxies,” said Yuxin Dong, a member of the team.

The story initially appeared in Wired En Español and translated from Spanish.