--- title: "Scientists Find New Patterns In Mysterious Radio Pulses From Distant Galaxies" description: "A team of astronomers found new patterns of a fast radio burst on a microsecond scale, suggesting we could hone in on their location." date: "2021-03-23" modified: "2021-03-23" authors: - name: "Victor Tangermann" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/victor" url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/new-patterns-mysterious-radio-pulses-galaxies" categories: - "Science & Energy" tags: - "fast radio bursts" - "FRBs" - "the digest" --- # Scientists Find New Patterns In Mysterious Radio Pulses From Distant Galaxies ![A team of astronomers found new patterns of a fast radio burst on a microsecond scale, suggesting we could hone in on their location.]() *\Image: ESO/M. Kornmesser\* ## Microsecond Burst The strange signals known as "fast radio bursts" (FRBs) have long mystified the astronomy community. The sudden, strong radio pulses, often emanating from distant galaxies, appear at regularly timed intervals, from every few of [milliseconds]() to [weeks]() — and we still aren't entirely sure what they are or why they exist. Now, a new team of astronomers has taken an even closer look. Using data from the intercontinental European Very Long Baseline Interferometry Network, a team at the University of Amsterdam has discovered that an FRB exhibited intricate structures on the microsecond scale as well. What does the finding mean? It's not yet clear — but it's a sign that FRBs haven't yet given up their final secrets. ## Microstructures The team's study, [published this week in the journal *Nature Astronomy*](), details new findings about the FRB known as 180916, a burst that was found to be [repeating every 16 days]() — four days of bursts and 12 days without. "The microstructure that we refer to in the \[study’s\] title is that we see the brightness of the burst itself vary on microsecond timescales," research lead Kenzie Nimmo [told *Vice*]() in an email. Nimmo suggests we could use the new discovery to hone in on the exact origin of the pulses, down to the kilometer scale. In the larger context, that's astonishingly accurate: scientists believe FRB 180916 is some 457 million light years from Earth. In fact, details in the patterns the team observed suggest we could soon discover the rotation of the object creating the pulses as well. Speaking of which, where are these signals coming from in the first place? According to [recently published studies](), an increasing number of scientists believe the pulses are being given off by magnetars, highly magnetically charged remains of a dead star. Nimmo also finds this to be "the most compelling progenitor model for FRBs," as she told *Vice*. **READ MORE:** [Scientists Have Discovered a New Pattern In a Repeating Signal from Space]() \[*Vice*\] **More on FRBs:** *[Astronomers Pinpoint Source of Mysterious Radio Burst Signal]()* ## 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]()