Astronomers have for the first time seen a 'fast radio burst' – a short, sharp flash of radio waves from an unknown source – tearing through space.
The discovery brings scientists a step closer to understanding the strange 'alien' phenomenon, which astronomers worldwide are vying to explain.
Lasting only milliseconds, the first such radio burst was discovered in 2007 by astronomers combing the Parkes telescope data archive for unrelated objects.
Exactly what may be causing these cosmic chirps represents a major new enigma. Possibilities range from evaporating black holes to alien communication and mergers of neutron stars.
Six more bursts, apparently from outside our galaxy, have now been found with the Parkes telescope and a seventh with the Arecibo telescope in Puerto Rico.
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