A team of astronomers and astrophysicists affiliated with several institutions in Australia has found that a mysterious fast radio burst (FRB) detected last year originated not from a distant source, but from one circling the planet—a long-dead satellite. The team has posted a paper outlining their findings on the arXiv preprint server.
  • 14th_cylon@lemm.ee
    51·
    2 days ago

    so i did not bother to read the article, but does that mean the satellite is now… undead?

    • onoira [they/them]@lemmy.dbzer0.comEnglish
      11·
      2 days ago

      The research team does not believe the satellite suddenly came back to life for a moment. They suggest it is far more likely that an electrostatic charge built up on the craft and reached a certain point and then discharged. Such discharges have been seen before, the team notes. Another possibility is that the craft was struck by a micrometeoroid, releasing a very small cloud of plasma.

      • 14th_cylon@lemm.ee
        31·
        2 days ago

        not reading it was not due to my laziness, it is just i couldn’t make the joke otherwise. i don’t have a habit of forcefully promoting other people to a position of my assistant. but thank you anyway ;)

    • BakerBagel@midwest.social
      4·
      2 days ago

      The research team does not believe the satellite suddenly came back to life for a moment. They suggest it is far more likely that an electrostatic charge built up on the craft and reached a certain point and then discharged. Such discharges have been seen before, the team notes. Another possibility is that the craft was struck by a micrometeoroid, releasing a very small cloud of plasma.

      • 14th_cylon@lemm.ee
        21·
        2 days ago

        not reading it was not due to my laziness, it is just i couldn’t make the joke otherwise. i don’t have a habit of forcefully promoting other people to a position of my assistant. but thank you anyway ;)

    • qrstuv@lemmy.sdf.org
      31·
      2 days ago

      The research team does not believe the satellite suddenly came back to life for a moment. They suggest it is far more likely that latent life force built up on the craft and reached a certain point and then dissipated. Such discharges have been seen before, the team notes. Another possibility is that the craft was graced by the hand of God, releasing a very small wave of divine radiation.