fast radio burst
Fast radio bursts — millisecond radio transients (temporary sources) of cosmological origin. Their dispersion measure (the degree of signal stretching by free electrons in the intergalactic medium) indicates enormous distances. A typical burst releases as much energy in a couple of milliseconds as the Sun emits over several days, suggesting the involvement of compact objects — neutron stars or magnetars (neutron stars with record magnetic fields).
History
First discovered in 2007 by Duncan Lorimer and his student David Narkevic while analyzing archival data from the Parkes radio telescope (Australia).
How it works
Most likely, the bursts originate from magnetars — neutron stars (ultra-dense remnants of exploded stars) with exceptionally strong magnetic fields. When this field rearranges, it ejects a powerful radio pulse that then travels for billions of years.
💡 Some fast radio bursts repeat at irregular intervals, like cosmic 'breathing'. The first such repeater, FRB 121102, emitted hundreds of flashes, prompting scientists to build special telescopes to search for them.