Strange Radio Signals Could Be Messages Coming From Aliens On Distant Planet, Scientists Say

Parkes radio telescope in Australia has picked up a series of mysterious radio signals that feature a new “double burst” output that cannot be explained by events previously believed to have caused single bursts in the past. The new fast radio bursts, or FRBs, are causing controversy in the scientific community as scientists say they have “no idea what’s going on,” noting that “many of the proposed models to explain FRBs use a single high energy event involving compact objects (such as neutron star mergers) and therefore cannot easily explain a two-component FRB.” This has left scientists baffled by the “double burst” and has many claiming that a distant alien civilization could be responsible.

The Daily Mail reports that scientists are baffled by the latest discovery of a “double burst” radio signal. The fast radio bursts, or FRBs, were picked up by the Parkes radio telescope in Australia and cannot be explained by commonly proposed FRB culprits such as neutron star mergers or a flaring star.

“Many of the proposed models to explain FRBs use a single high energy event involving compact objects (such as neutron star mergers) and therefore cannot easily explain a two-component FRB.”

With scientists unable to pinpoint a known cause of such a burst, some are claiming that an alien civilization may be sending signals out into the universe and are finally being picked up by scientists here on earth. The latest “double burst” radio signals are not the first strange signals to be picked up by the Parkes radio telescope. In fact, the telescope has allegedly picked up a number of fast radio bursts. However, this is the first “double burst” recorded.

Some questioned the validity of the Parkes information as it was previously the only radio telescope to pick up the strange signals. However, that all changed when a giant radio dish in Puerto Rico confirmed the findings. Now, scientists are trying to determine exactly what could cause such strange radio signals in the universe.

Want to see the most new fast radio bursts in a single paper? FIVE NEW BURSTS on the arXiv today from our team! https://t.co/beoJKRBMYR

— Emily Petroff (@ebpetroff) November 25, 2015

Prior to the “double burst,” scientists believed that a white dwarf merger, neutron star merger or a flaring star could have caused the strange signals. Those culprits were likely until the discovery of the “double burst.” The scientists noted that a “double burst” cannot be produced by the believed culprits of the previous bursts and that an alien civilization or another unknown space process is to blame. Emily Petroff from Swinburne University, who helped discover the pulses, has suggested the potential for the signals to be a sign from faraway alien life as well. Petroff notes that the scientists have “no idea what is going on” but that “it’s definitely something cool.”

.@SciBry we have no idea what’s going on, but we know it’s definitely something cool.

— Emily Petroff (@ebpetroff) November 25, 2015

Though the scientists say they have “no idea” what caused the radio bursts. The paper does note that “models that are based on extreme versions of flaring, pulsing or orbital events, however, could produce multiple component profiles,” making them possible culprits should an extreme version of one of these events take place. However, alien and UFO researchers are holding out hope that the latest models could be a precursor to the discovery of an alien civilization.

Nigel Watson, an author and UFO enthusiast, says that every new signal encourages the belief that an alien civilization may exist.

“Every unusual signal from outer space encourages us to wonder if it is from an alien civilization.”

[Photo by Ian Waldie/Getty Images]