Update: new source of fast radio bursts (FRBs) discovered in deep space

[Commissar SFLUFAN]

Scientists have discovered the first fast radio burst that beats at a steady rhythm, and the mysterious repeating signal is coming from the outskirts of another galaxy.

Quote

A mysterious radio source located in a galaxy 500 million light years from Earth is pulsing on a 16-day cycle, like clockwork, according to a new study. This marks the first time that scientists have ever detected periodicity in these signals, which are known as fast radio bursts (FRBs), and is a major step toward unmasking their sources.

 

[outsida]

 

[marioandsonic]

Please come down and nuke us all, aliens.  We deserve it.

[Xbob42]

Quote

But while we know where it is, we still don’t know what it is. To that point, the beat of the FRB suggests that it might be modulated by its surroundings. If the source of the FRB is orbiting a compact object, such as a black hole, then it might only flash its signals toward Earth at a certain point in its orbital period. That scenario could potentially match this recognizable 16-day cycle.

 

It’s also possible that we are witnessing a binary system containing a massive star and a super-dense stellar core known as a neutron star, according to a study published on arXiv on Wednesday by a separate team that looked at the same data. In that model, the neutron star would emit radio bursts, but those signals would be periodically eclipsed by opaque outflowing winds from its giant companion.

 

Another scenario is that the FRB rhythm isn’t tempered by another object, and is sending out the pulses directly from the source. Scientists have previously suggested that flares from highly magnetized neutron stars, called magnetars, might be the source of some FRBs. But since magnetars tend to rotate every few seconds, a 16-day cycle does not match the expected profile of a magnetar-based FRB.

These headlines are always intentionally worded to heavily imply the possibility of aliens to the layman, and it always ends up being black holes or certain stars as the primary suspect. Sneaky sneaky. "Sending to Earth" implies an intentionality that isn't there.

[SuperSpreader]

It was me 

[GeneticBlueprint]

9 hours ago, Xbob42 said:

These headlines are always intentionally worded to heavily imply the possibility of aliens to the layman, and it always ends up being black holes or certain stars as the primary suspect. Sneaky sneaky. "Sending to Earth" implies an intentionality that isn't there.

 

Anything on a "steady" cycle is also an indicator that it's certainly not on purpose and is all but definitely not intelligent life.

[69los]

Hopefully, we have an overqualified, cable repair guy to decipher the code.

[Spawn_of_Apathy]

25 minutes ago, 69los said:

Hopefully, we have an overqualified, cable repair guy to decipher the code.

As long as the cycle does not get faster, I think we’ll be ok. 

[SuperSpreader]

I hope it's Satan 

[MarSolo]

1 hour ago, 69los said:

Hopefully, we have an overqualified, cable repair guy to decipher the code.

Hey, he went to MIT, but he was happy working at the cable company!

[Commissar SFLUFAN]

Another FRB has been discovered that exhibits a 157-day cycle

Quote

Something in a galaxy located billions of light years away is blasting out pulses of light on a bizarre periodic schedule that lasts 157 days, according to a new study. The discovery may help solve the mystery of fast radio bursts (FRBs), which are sudden and intense bursts of light that last only milliseconds. Though there are many theories about their origins and causes, FRBs are still unexplained at this time.

 

When the first FRB was identified in 2007, scientists thought it might be a cataclysmic event such as the explosion of a massive star. Over the next decade, though, it became clear that some of these bursts are “repeaters,” meaning that they emit multiple pulses of light that cannot be explained by a one-time cosmic cataclysm like a supernova. The first known repeater signal was dubbed FRB 121102, and for years a pattern in its signals eluded scientists, until now.

 

[CitizenVectron]

Just a giant bird thing tipping its alien head and hitting the Enter key every 157 days on Xorblon VI.

[silentbob]

Has anyone seen Tommy Lee Jones in a while? 

[Massdriver]

 

On 2/8/2020 at 10:22 AM, SlipperySlope said:

I hope it's Satan 

This made me bust out laughing. There's a lot of weird implications to these being Satan. Good stuff

[marioandsonic]

On 2/7/2020 at 11:49 PM, marioandsonic said:

Please come down and nuke us all, aliens.  We deserve it.

 

[Captain Pickle]

7 hours ago, CitizenVectron said:

Just a giant bird thing tipping its alien head and hitting the Enter key every 157 days on Xorblon VI.

Because Zortan snuck off work to drink with his buddies Carlon and Len!

[Chadatog]

9 hours ago, Massdriver said:

 

This made me bust out laughing. There's a lot of weird implications to these being Satan. Good stuff

Might I interest you in Childhood's End

[Remarkableriots]

1 hour ago, Chadatog said:

Might I interest you in Childhood's End

I keep hoping it will be on Netflix eventually or some other streaming service.

[Brick]

The aliens are definitely going to invade before 2020 is over. 

[Kal-El814]

15 minutes ago, Brick said:

The aliens are definitely going to invade before 2020 is over. 

Don't be a tease.

 

[Zaku3]

31 minutes ago, Brick said:

The aliens are definitely going to invade before 2020 is over. 

Not if I launch a crusade against the foul xenos first. Anyone care to join?

[Firewithin]

[SuperSpreader]

2 hours ago, Brick said:

The aliens are definitely going to invade before 2020 is over. 

I'm still hoping for Satan to finish us. 

[Brian]