Fast Radio Burst
In short
A fast radio burst is a sudden, intense pulse of radio waves coming from deep space that lasts only a few milliseconds to a few seconds. These bursts release massive amounts of energy, often more than the Sun produces in several days, all within a tiny fraction of a second.
In plain words
Imagine a giant flash of radio light from a distant part of the universe. It happens incredibly quickly and is extremely powerful. Scientists are still trying to figure out exactly what causes these massive energy explosions.
A simple example
A single burst can release as much energy in one millisecond as our Sun does in three full days. Even though they are incredibly strong, they arrive at Earth feeling much weaker than a mobile phone signal from the Moon.
Why it matters
Studying these bursts helps astronomers map the matter between galaxies and understand the most extreme objects in the universe. They act like cosmic beacons that reveal secrets about how space is structured.
Easy to mix up
Do not confuse them with pulsars, which are stars that emit regular, repeating radio pulses rather than sudden, singular bursts.