Fast Radio Bursts (FRBs) are a big fat mystery. The pulses — first discovered about a decade ago — come from billions of light years away and last for just milliseconds. Only 16 pulses have been recorded since the first was heard in 2007, but scientists believe they may occur thousands of times a day. But where do they come from?

In a study published Wednesday in Nature, scientists report our first real clue: The most detailed origin story ever obtained for an FRB. Their findings suggest that these energetic, seemingly random bursts most likely come from a region dense with either the birth or death of stars.

Read the article “Sorry, ET. Scientists May Have Found Explanation for Mysterious Radio Bursts” on washingtonpost.com.