Ancient Energetic Burst Traveled 8 Billion Years to Reach Earth

Astronomers have detected the oldest-known example of a fast radio burst (FRB), a burst of radio waves that lasts less than a millisecond but releases an immense amount of energy. The burst, which occurred about 8 billion years ago, is the farthest and oldest FRB ever detected. Researchers believe that the most likely source of FRBs is a special kind of neutron star called a magnetar. Studying these bursts can help scientists understand the large amount of matter between galaxies.