Aliens may be communicating to us in the form of fast radio burst (FRB) signals, scientists believe.
Two separate groups of astronomers have recently discovered radio bursts coming from the Auriga constellation, which is about 3 billion light years away from the Milky Way galaxy.
According to a report filed in The Astrophysical Journal, the Green Bank Telescope in West Virginia discovered five radio bursts coming from the Auriga constellation, which has been dubbed by researchers as FRB 121102. Another one was discovered by an observer from the Arecibo Conservatory in Puerto Rico.
Other FBRs coming from the same region were also discovered earlier this year as well as in 2012, upping the total number of FRBs discovered to 17. This number is significant considering that this is the only known instance that the FBR signals came from the same location.
A single instance of FRB can be easily explained, but seventeen FRBs that all came from the same region could indicate that something else is at play.
What Are Fast Radio Bursts?
A fast radio burst is an astrophysical phenomenon that occurs when a transient radio signal materializes for only a fraction of a second on space. This kind of radio signals are extraordinarily bright but are short on duration, making them very hard to document and study.
What Science Has To Say About FBRs
John Learned, a physicist from the University of Hawaii at Manoa, argued in a paper that repeating FRBs have a 1 in 2,000 chance of being coincidental. The paper also mentioned that FRBs are a result of either a dense star or a manmade spy satellite that disguises the signals it makes by making them appear as though they came from deep space.
For most observers, the frequent radio bursts coming from the Auriga constellation means that it is not a one-time event that happened due to an explosion or a collision between stars.
Scientists also say that these mysterious radio signals could be the cause of solar flares coming out of a neuron star. On the other hand, some astronomers believe that this is the work of an extra-terrestrial trying to make its presence felt.
A Word Of Caution From Stephen Hawking
Stephen Hawking is less enthusiastic and cautious on the topic of aliens, and would probably avoid delving deeper into the FRB phenomena. For him, it will be better if we leave aliens alone and try not to establish any contact with them. In an interview, the physicist firmly believes that once discovered, the Earth will be attacked and colonized by aliens.
"If aliens visit us, the outcome could be much like when Columbus landed in America, which didn't turn out well for the Native Americans," said Hawking.
