ALL POSSIBILITIES should be considered, including an artificial origin, says Abraham Loeb, chair, department of astronomy at Harvard University, US, referring to the periodic bursts of radio waves emanating from a galaxy 500 million light years from Earth. First noticed in September 2018 by the Canadian Hydrogen Intensity Mapping Experiment (chime), a radio telescope at the Dominion Radio Astrophysical Observatory in British Columbia, Canada, the waves have created ripples across the globe for one reason—they arrive in a pattern. This gave birth to theories that they could be from an alien civilisation.
Fast radio bursts (FRBS) are not a new concept. The first one was noticed in 2007 and scientists have documented 110 FRBS so far. A vast majority of FRBS are isolated, with just 10 so far repeating themselves.
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Denne historien er fra March 01, 2020-utgaven av Down To Earth.
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A SPRIG TO CARE FOR
Punarnava, a perennial herb, is easy to grow and has huge health benefits
DIGGING A DISASTER
Soapstone mining near Dabti Vijaypur village has caused many residents to migrate.
REVIEW THE TREATMENT
Several faecal sludge treatment plants in Uttar Pradesh suffer from design flaws that make the treatment process both expensive and inefficient
MAKE STEEL SUSTAINABLE
As India works to double its GDP by 2030, its steel industry must balance growth with sustainability. By embracing policies like the Steel Scrap Recycling Policy 2019 and adopting green technologies, India is paving the way for a more sustainable future in steel production
Can ANRF pull off the impossible for India?
Anusandhan National Research Foundation is expected to reorient India's innovation goals but funding issues, old mindsets remain a drag
TROUBLED WOODS
Forests are a great bulwark against climate change. But this is fast changing. AKSHIT SANGOMLA travels through some of the pristine patches of the Western Ghats to explore how natural disturbances triggered by global warming now threaten the forest health
BLINDING GLOW
The science is clear: increased illumination has damaging consequences for the health of humans, animals and plants. It’s time governments introduced policies to protect the natural darkness and improved the quality of outdoor lighting.
GROUND REALITY
What happens when the soil loses the ability to grow healthy, high-yield crops on its own?
GM POLICY MUST BE FARMER CENTRIC
On July 23, the Supreme Court of India directed the Union government to develop a national policy on genetically modified (GM) crops for research, cultivation, trade and commerce through public consultation.
Vinchurni's Gandhi
A 96-year-old farmer transforms barren land into a thriving forest in drought-prone region of Satara
