In a first, telescopes tracked a lone fast radio burst to a faraway galaxy

Single flashes of cosmic radio waves appear to have a different source than repeated bursts

an illustration of a distant galaxy

ORIGIN STORY For the first time, astronomers have pegged a single fast radio burst to the distant galaxy where it originated (artist’s conception above). That host galaxy is nothing like researchers expected.

Australian Academy of Science

Astronomers have long wondered what triggers brief, brilliant blasts of radio waves from other galaxies.