Radio Waves in Milky Way May Help Solve Universal Mystery

A view of the Milky Way from an area of Puyehue National Park near Osorno City, Chile, May 8, 2008. Reuters.
A view of the Milky Way from an area of Puyehue National Park near Osorno City, Chile, May 8, 2008. Reuters.
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Radio Waves in Milky Way May Help Solve Universal Mystery

A view of the Milky Way from an area of Puyehue National Park near Osorno City, Chile, May 8, 2008. Reuters.
A view of the Milky Way from an area of Puyehue National Park near Osorno City, Chile, May 8, 2008. Reuters.

Astrophysicists have detected a burst of cosmic radio waves within our solar system for the first time and identified its source, reported a new research that sheds light on one of the mysteries of the Universe.

The origin of powerful fast radio bursts (FRBs), intense flashes of radio emission that only last a few milliseconds, have puzzled scientists since they were first detected a little over a decade ago. They are typically extragalactic, meaning they originate outside our galaxy, but on April 28 this year, multiple telescopes detected a bright FRB from the same area within our Milky Way. Importantly, they were also able to pin down the source: Galactic magnetar SGR 1935+2154. Magnetars, young neutron stars that are the most magnetic objects in the universe, have long been prime suspects in the hunt for the source of these radio bursts. But this discovery marks the first time that astronomers have been able to directly trace the signal back to a magnetar.

Christopher Bochenek, member in one of the teams that spotted the burst, said that in approximately a millisecond the magnetar emitted as much energy as the Sun's radio waves do in 30 seconds.

He said the burst was "so bright" that theoretically if you had a recording of the raw data from your mobile phone's 4G LTE receiver and knew what to look for, "you might have found this signal that came about halfway across the galaxy" in the phone data." This energy was comparable to FRBs from outside the galaxy, he said, strengthening the case for magnetars to be the source of most extragalactic bursts.

These bursts have been the topic of heated debate ever since, with even small steps towards identifying their origin, according to AFP. One problem is that the momentary flashes are difficult to pinpoint without knowing where to look.

Theories of their origins have ranged from catastrophic events like supernovas, to neutron stars, which are super-dense stellar fragments formed after the gravitational collapse of a star. There is even more exotic explanation -- discounted by astronomers -- of extra-terrestrial signals.

In a commentary, Amanda Weltman and Anthony Walters, from the High Energy Physics, Cosmology and Astrophysics Theory Group at the University of Cape Town, said the link of the FRB to a magnetar "potentially solves a key puzzle."



Labubu Toy Sculpture Sold for $150,000 at China Auction

A human-sized Labubu figurine is displayed before an auction in Beijing, China June 6, 2025. REUTERS/Tingshu Wang
A human-sized Labubu figurine is displayed before an auction in Beijing, China June 6, 2025. REUTERS/Tingshu Wang
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Labubu Toy Sculpture Sold for $150,000 at China Auction

A human-sized Labubu figurine is displayed before an auction in Beijing, China June 6, 2025. REUTERS/Tingshu Wang
A human-sized Labubu figurine is displayed before an auction in Beijing, China June 6, 2025. REUTERS/Tingshu Wang

A Beijing auction house has sold a four-foot-tall sculpture of a viral plush toy character for more than $150,000, as global demand for the Chinese-designed Labubu dolls reaches fever pitch.

The rabbit-like figures sporting mischievous grins began as a character created by Hong Kong-born artist Kasing Lung, and are made by Beijing-based toy brand Pop Mart.

They have been endorsed by celebrities such as Rihanna and Dua Lipa, and fans have queued overnight outside stores hoping to snag one, with analysts pointing to the phenomenon as evidence of China's growing soft power, AFP reported.

On Tuesday, a teal sculpture depicting a Labubu character with a furry body and head fetched an eye-watering 1.08 million yuan ($150,260) at an auction held in Beijing, according to the auction house's app.

The sculpture is "the only piece of its kind in the world", according to Yongle International Auction.

It was offered alongside other Labubu paraphernalia including a brown statue that sold for 820,000 yuan.

Pop Mart has over 400 stores globally, including 30 US branches.

The worldwide frenzy has seen people go to desperate lengths to acquire their own Labubu.

Last month a London branch of Pop Mart suspended in-store sales of the toys, fearing violence from would-be buyers who failed to get their hands on the limited-edition Labubus.

In Singapore, CCTV footage captured a family stealing Labubu dolls from a claw machine, according to Singaporean online media outlet AsiaOne.

Burglars broke into a store in California last week and took several Labubu dolls along with electronics and other valuables, American news outlet ABC reported.

In China, the toys have been promised as freebies for new bank customers -- an incentive quickly shut down by local regulators, according to Chinese media reports.

The toys have spawned a booming resale market as well as an online community of fans sharing tips on how to customize their dolls.

Knockoffs -- many of which are also made in China -- have flooded online platforms, dubbed "Lafufus" by social media users.