Fast Radio Bursts: An Enduring Cosmic Mystery

Come join us for our monthly Astronomy talk!

7:30pm-8pm: Social time with snacks

8pm: Talk begins

Title: Fast Radio Bursts: An Enduring Cosmic Mystery

Abstract:
In August of 2001, an extremely bright, brief, extraterrestrial radio signal washed over the Earth. This flash of radiation lasted just a few milliseconds, originated from around four billion light years away, and contained more energy in a fraction of a second than the Sun gives off in an entire year. Almost 25 years later, astronomers have now found thousands more of these “fast radio bursts”, but incredibly, we still have no idea what they are. Professor Bryan Gaensler will explain how fast radio bursts were discovered, why they’re so enigmatic, and how they could be key to understanding some of the fundamental properties of the Universe.

Bio:
Bryan Gaensler is the Dean of Physical and Biological Sciences and Professor of Astronomy and Astrophysics at the University of California, Santa Cruz. He received his PhD from the University of Sydney in 1999, and subsequently held positions at MIT, the Smithsonian Institution, Harvard University, the University of Sydney, and the University of Toronto, before joining UC Santa Cruz in 2023. Professor Gaensler has published more than 480 research papers on cosmic magnetism, interstellar gas and cosmic explosions, while his best-selling popular book "Extreme Cosmos" has been translated into five languages.

About the graphics:
The image used here is a collage of images. Credits for the individual images are "draco-zlat / iStock / Getty Images Plus", "CHIME Collaboration", and "Renee Wall"

About the event:
Many of SJAA’s events, like this one, are public and free to attend, but if you’re enjoying what SJAA has to offer, consider becoming a paid member for only $20 per year: https://www.sjaa.net/membership/benefits-of-membership-2/