Source of mysterious radio burst emitted three billion years after the Big Bang surprises scientists
Scientists have discovered that FRB 20240304B, the most distant fast radio burst detected to date, originates from a small dwarf galaxy rather than a giant galaxy.
According to research published in the journal Science, FRB 20240304B—the most distant fast radio burst detected to date, emitted when the universe was only three billion years old—originates from a much smaller dwarf galaxy than expected, rather than a giant galaxy.
Discovery of the Mysterious Signal
Radio signals coming from the depths of space that last for merely a thousandth of a second continue to arouse curiosity in the scientific world. In the research published in the journal Science, the most distant fast radio burst, named FRB 20240304B, was examined in detail.
Examinations Conducted with Telescopes
Discovered in March 2024 by the MeerKAT radio telescope in South Africa, the signal was determined to have emerged approximately 3 billion years after the Big Bang. When terrestrial telescopes proved insufficient, NASA's James Webb Space Telescope was brought into play.
Dwarf Galaxy Surprise
Scientists had thought that the powerful burst came from a large galaxy, but James Webb revealed a small dwarf galaxy with a mass about 1,000 times lower than expected.
Investigation of Cosmic Matter
The delay experienced by the signal waves as they passed through gas in space allowed astronomers to examine the traces of galaxy groups and the Virgo Cluster.