A burst from the ancient universe

Astronomers have detected a burst of radio waves that travelled for more than ten billion years before reaching Earth. They believe it is the most distant fast radio burst ever recorded.

What are fast radio bursts

Fast radio bursts, or FRBs, are intense bursts of radio waves that can emit as much energy in milliseconds as the sun does in months or years. They were first discovered in two thousand seven.

The burst came from the young universe

The burst, dubbed FRB twenty twenty-four zero three zero four B, originated when the universe was only about three billion years old. It has travelled through approximately eighty percent of cosmic history.

How astronomers found it

Scientists detected the burst using the MeerKAT radio telescope in South Africa, then identified its host galaxy using NASA's James Webb space telescope. The burst is more than double the previous distance record.

What the burst reveals

Dr Themiya Nanayakkara of the University of Sydney said when the burst was produced, there was no Earth, there was no sun. Data showed it came from a young, very small galaxy forming stars at very high speed.

“there was no Earth, there was no sun”

FRBs map the invisible universe

FRBs are affected by particles they travel through, enabling scientists to quantify matter invisible to optical telescopes. Further detections of distant FRBs would enable scientists to map unseen matter in the distant universe.