Scientists confirm strongest and brightest-ever alien signal, but it never repeated

For a few milliseconds, the universe lit up. Astronomers have captured the brightest radio signal ever detected, a fleeting cosmic flash from a galaxy 130 million light-years away.

What was discovered in Ursa Major?
The signal is a fast radio burst, known as FRB. These flashes are intense but brief, lasting only milliseconds. This particular burst, nicknamed RBFLOAT, outshone every other radio source in its host galaxy. Scientists say its brightness makes it the strongest FRB ever recorded.

The discovery came through the Canadian Hydrogen Intensity Mapping Experiment. The telescope, supported by its outrigger arrays, pinpointed the source with high accuracy. RBFLOAT was traced to the spiral galaxy NGC 4141, near a star-forming region on its outer edge. Researchers believe the source may be an older magnetar. Magnetars are highly magnetised neutron stars that unleash powerful energy bursts.

Why is this signal important?
The closeness of RBFLOAT offers astronomers a unique chance. Most FRBs are found billions of light-years away. Studying this nearby event helps scientists learn how these radio waves travel through space. It may also reveal clues about magnetic fields and the intergalactic medium.