KRAZY KATS

Welcome to Krazy Kats - a friendly informal online community discussing life issues that we care about. Open 24/7 for chat & chill. Come and join us!

3 posters

    Signals from space: Five theories on what they are

    Kitkat
    Kitkat

    Signals from space:  Five theories on what they are Empty Signals from space: Five theories on what they are

    Post by Kitkat Thu 10 Jan 2019, 17:01

    Well, here's something to mull over.  Anyone got any ideas?

    Signals from space: Five theories on what they are

    Signals from space:  Five theories on what they are _105133477_gettyimages-584484540
    A nebula of stars

    Mysterious signals have been picked up from distant galaxies.

    When fast radio bursts or FRBs, as they are called, reach Earth's telescopes they shine brightly for a few milliseconds, then disappear.

    Astronomers have detected dozens over the past decade - and have just announced they've found more of them, including a rare repeating signal.

    We don't know exactly what they are or where they're from, but here are five suspects:

    A rapidly spinning neutron star


    When stars explode and die they can end up as rapidly spinning neutron stars. Astronomers think those found in a region with a high magnetic field might produce the strange signals

    Signals from space:  Five theories on what they are _105133469_gettyimages-73075351
    Artist's impression of a neutron star

    "Something like a neutron star fits the bill reasonably well actually," says Dr Ingrid Stairs, an astrophysicist from the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada.
    "But exactly what physics is going into producing this very energetic burst of radio waves we don't really know yet."

    Two stars merging


    Two neutron stars colliding with each other is another possibility.
    According to Shriharsh Tendulkar, an astronomer at McGill University in Montreal, Canada, this is one of the main theories, but the scenario only works for cosmic signals that are only seen once, as the stars are destroyed in the process.
    "It's a cataclysmic event - it doesn't work for fast radio burst repeaters," he says.
    Most of the fast radio bursts picked up by telescopes in the last decade or so are seen once then disappear.
    Yet, two elusive signals have been found that burst into life again and again - and for these, there must be a different explanation.

    Blitzar


    A blitzar is a rapidly spinning neutron star which collapses under its own weight and forms a black hole.
    Again, this ends in the destruction of the star, so could not produce a repeating signal.

    Black hole


    Black holes are implicated in many theories - from a neutron star falling into a black hole to a collapsing black hole or dark matter hitting one.

    Signals from space:  Five theories on what they are _105133473_729665main_a-blackholeart-pia16695_full
    Artist's concept of a black hole

    Alien life form


    While some believe the signals are entirely natural in origin, others have speculated that they could be evidence of extra-terrestrial activity.

    Signals from space:  Five theories on what they are _105134657_gettyimages-889253192
    Radio telescopes can detect fast radio bursts

    Dr Stairs sees this as highly unlikely.

    "They come from all over the sky pretty much and many different distances - they must be associated with many different galaxies," she told Newsday on BBC World Service.

    "It just seems completely inconceivable that there could be that many different alien civilisations all deciding to produce the same kind of signal in the same way - that just seems highly improbable."

    https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-46825450
    Whiskers
    Whiskers

    Signals from space:  Five theories on what they are Empty Re: Signals from space: Five theories on what they are

    Post by Whiskers Thu 10 Jan 2019, 18:05

    Its all a bit beyond my understanding, but they are fabulous pictures all of them.
    Feather
    Feather

    Location : Scotland

    Signals from space:  Five theories on what they are Empty Re: Signals from space: Five theories on what they are

    Post by Feather Mon 14 Jan 2019, 16:28

    This is slightly off topic but there are more and more discoveries being made all the time re Aliens and our ancient history . This used to be a cause for amusement even in the scientific world but that is no longer the case.

      Current date/time is Thu 28 Mar 2024, 21:21