2023-07-22 17:00:01
Scientists have observed the emission of radio signals, coming from an unknown source, 20 minutes long towards the Earth. And this, for 35 years!
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This is a mystery that never ceases to fascinate astronomers and a discovery that upsets their certainties. It has now been 35 years since an unknown source sends radio signals approximately 20 minutes long to Earth.
This is what we learn from an article published in the journal Nature by a team of astronomers who have still not managed to identify the original of these signals, which in no way correspond to known models.
An unknown origin, an enduring mystery
These signals could be compared to those emanating from pulsars or “fast radio bursts”. Pulsars are neutron stars which rotate on their axis at very high speed, thus emitting these radio waves. Radio bursts, on the other hand, are anomalies in radio frequency readings from space.
Photo credit: iStock
However, these signals emit between a few milliseconds and several seconds. Here, the signals identified can last up to 21 minutes at variable intensity.
Thus, scientists are struggling to find what would be the star at the origin of these unexplained waves. In particular, they are working on the hypothesis of a “white dwarf” type star or a “magnetar”, a star whose magnetic field is particularly strong.
However, the emissions that this type of celestial object sends out are very different from the recently identified signals. The mystery therefore remains intact!
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