Fast Radio Bursts: A Cosmic Mystery

Fast Radio Bursts (FRBs) are one of the most exciting recent discoveries in the field of radio astronomy, and they were discovered by astronomers right here in West Virginia! Most FRBs happen faster than you can blink an eye, and in that time they blast out more energy than our sun produces in several days. Despite this spectacular behavior, we still don’t know what they are.
Enjoy this recorded lecture by West Virginia University Professors Duncan Lorimer and Maura McLaughlin, 2 of the 3 astronomers awarded the 2023 Shaw Prize in Astronomy for the 2007 discovery of FRBs.