Astronomers detect radio burst from 8 billion years ago

Astronomers have picked up a radio signal from eight billion years ago, meaning it’s traveled more than half the age – and width – of the observable universe to get here. Thanks to its extensive experience in the cosmos, the signal can actually help us… Continue reading Astronomers detect radio burst from 8 billion years ago

“Starquakes” could be behind mysterious radio signals from space

Cosmic radio signals are beaming to Earth every day – and astronomers are stumped as to their origin. Now a new study finds evidence that these signals, known as fast radio bursts (FRBs), could be caused by “starquakes.”Continue ReadingCategory: Space,… Continue reading “Starquakes” could be behind mysterious radio signals from space

Remotely Stopping Polish Trains

Turns out that it’s easy to broadcast radio commands that force Polish trains to stop:

…the saboteurs appear to have sent simple so-called “radio-stop” commands via radio frequency to the trains they targeted. Because the trains use a radio system that lacks encryption or authentication for those commands, Olejnik says, anyone with as little as $30 of off-the-shelf radio equipment can broadcast the command to a Polish train­—sending a series of three acoustic tones at a 150.100 megahertz frequency­—and trigger their emergency stop function…

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Neutron images reveal zinc as culprit in Arecibo radio telescope collapse

Almost three years after the event, neutron scans by the Oak Ridge National Laboratory have uncovered the cause of the platform collapse that resulted in the destruction of the 1,000-ft (300-m) Arecibo Observatory radio telescope.Continue ReadingCatego… Continue reading Neutron images reveal zinc as culprit in Arecibo radio telescope collapse