Astronomers have detected fast-repeating radio bursts from a distant “dead” galaxy, challenging existing theories about such phenomena. The discovery was reported on January 24, 2025.
Fast radio bursts (FRBs) are intense, millisecond-long pulses of radio waves originating from distant galaxies. While some FRBs have been traced to galaxies with active star formation, the recent detection from a quiescent, or “dead,” galaxy—where star formation has ceased—raises questions about the mechanisms producing these bursts.
The identification of repeating FRBs from a galaxy previously thought incapable of generating such high-energy phenomena suggests that our understanding of the environments and conditions necessary for FRB production is incomplete. Further research is needed to determine the exact sources and processes responsible for these enigmatic signals.
The latest bursts were traced to a massive elliptical galaxy located billions of light-years away. This galaxy is classified as “quiescent,” meaning it has not formed new stars for billions of years. Such galaxies are typically considered inhospitable to the high-energy processes thought to produce FRBs, making the discovery especially surprising.
The Case for Magnetars
Magnetars, formed from the collapse of massive stars, are leading candidates for the origin of repeating FRBs. Their intense magnetic fields can produce bursts of radio waves during periods of instability. In active galaxies, magnetars can arise from recent supernova explosions, but their presence in a quiescent galaxy indicates they might also be formed by less conventional means, such as mergers of old stellar remnants.
This finding underscores the importance of continued observation and study of FRBs across diverse galactic environments to unravel the mysteries surrounding their origins.