--- title: "Astronomers May Have Just Found the Smoking Gun Behind Mysterious Radio Signals" description: "A group of astronomers argues fast radio bursts may be the result of two neutron stars merging, an event that releases a huge electromagnetic charge." date: "2023-03-30" modified: "2023-03-30" authors: - name: "Victor Tangermann" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/victor" url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/astronomers-found-smoking-gun-radio-signals" categories: - "Off-World" - "Space" tags: - "fast radio bursts" - "FRBs" - "the digest" --- # Astronomers May Have Just Found the Smoking Gun Behind Mysterious Radio Signals ![A group of astronomers argues fast radio bursts may be the result of two neutron stars merging, an event that releases a huge electromagnetic charge.]() *\Image: Getty / Futurism\* ## Radio Burst Mystery Ever since the first fast radio burst (FRB) was [discovered in 2007]() — you know, those extremely powerful and brief pulses of radio waves emanating from the deepest regions of space — astronomers have struggled to uncover their source. While experts have been able to [make educated guesses over the years](), we simply still don't know why these bursts occur or what's behind them. But as detailed in a [new paper]() published in the journal *Nature Astronomy* this week, we might soon have an answer thanks to the discovery of a potential "[smoking gun]()." Astronomers observed two neutron stars, each the remains of a dead star, colliding and turning into a black hole, a powerful event that produced a huge burst of gravitational waves — and, about two hours later, appears to have produced an FRB as well. In simple terms, the merging of neutron stars may be behind these strange flashes of radio waves. ## Disappearing Act It's a tantalizing new piece of the puzzle that unfortunately doesn't quite amount to a certain answer just yet. To know for sure, astronomers will need to observe another neutron star collision and subsequent formation of a black hole, an event that also causes the former's magnetic field to suddenly disappear, since black holes aren't magnetic. The new theory posits that the sudden vanishing of this magnetic field may be the cause of the fast radio burst, since magnetic fields produce electrically charged particles, not unlike the extreme electromagnetic fields of an FRB. For the study, the team of astronomers led by Alexandra Moroianu, a masters student at the University of Western Australia, examined data from the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO), which can detect gravitational waves released by the merging of two neutron stars. Since we can measure how far away and how fast FRBs can travel through space, the astronomers were able to trace a specific FRB dubbed 20190425A, back to a neutron star merger dubbed GW 190425, which occurred a mere two and a half hours before. Unfortunately, there's still a not insignificant statistical chance the two events are unrelated, meaning that we can't deem the mystery solved just yet. Besides, there are far more FRBs we've already discovered than there are neutron star mergers, according to the [statement](). On the plus side, gravitational wave detectors, some of which were recently finetuned, will have a closer look later this year — another chance to confirm or refute the theory. **More on FRBs:** *[Astronomers Discover Another Mysterious, Repeating Radio Transmission From Space]()* ## Author I've been at Futurism since 2017, where my role has evolved to encompass design, writing, and increasingly editing. I've always been fascinated by space exploration and advanced transportation, which I've leaned into by interviewing luminaries in those fields while closely following the dimensions of policy and regulation that allow next-generation projects to succeed -- or, sometimes, to fail. I'm also keenly interested in the effects of generative AI on society, policies, and democratic institutions, as well as clean energy, physics and biology, and the vagaries of tech leadership. My work for Futurism has been cited by publications including Ars Technica, Gizmodo, PC Magazine, Jalopnik, Fox News, and the New York Post. I spent my childhood living in locations including Manila, the Philippines, and Geneva, Switzerland, attended McGill University, and now live in Toronto, Canada. Before Futurism I worked at AskMen and a small photography studio. In my free time, I'm an avid gardener, foodie, and craft beer lover, as well as a maker of artisanal hot pepper sauces. I have a magnificent dog named Freida. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()