A deep-space radio signal, originating 8 billion years ago, has recently been detected on Earth. Known as FRB 20220610A, this fast radio burst (FRB) is among the most distant and powerful signals ever recorded. These bursts, short but extremely energetic, continue to puzzle scientists to this day, as their source is unknown.

Astronomers, led by Dr. Stuart Ryder of Macquarie University, identified this FRB using the Australian Square Kilometre Array Pathfinder (ASKAP). The signal was traced to an ancient galaxy, further away than any previous FRB source. In a matter of milliseconds, the burst released as much energy as the Sun does over 30 years.

This discovery goes beyond the mere excitement of detection. Scientists believe FRBs could hold the key to solving one of the universe’s longstanding mysteries: the whereabouts of its "missing matter." While cosmological models suggest that there is much more ordinary matter than we can see, there's a chance that FRBs can lead us to a method to map this hidden material, located in the vast void between galaxies.

Radio telescopes are becoming smarter and better, and researchers can expect many such FRB detections in the future. These signals can help us unlock some of the universe’s deepest mysteries, giving us a new lens through which we can study the universe.