Fast radio bursts (FRBs) are short-lived but intense radio signals that have puzzled astronomers for years.
Scientists may have found the cause of FRBs - neutron stars collapsing into black holes.
A research paper published in the journal Nature studied two neutron stars colliding and turning into a black hole, generating a burst of gravitational waves and a fast radio burst.
The strong magnetic field of a neutron star may be the cause of the FRBs.
This theory currently only applies to one FRB that was discovered in June 2019, and scientists cannot definitively say it applies to all FRBs.
The similarities between the two FRBs that emit weaker radio waves in between the stronger pulses may help scientists solve the puzzle.
Investigating extreme FRBs could prove to be the key to solving their mystery.
There may not be enough merging neutron stars in the universe to explain the number of fast radio bursts.
Different FRBs may come from different sources, such as magnetars.
Further research is needed to fully understand the source of fast radio bursts.