SGR 1935+2154

Fast radio bursts, or FRBs, have baffled scientists since 2007. FRBs, which are incredibly potent radio wave flashes, are generally found in galaxies millions or even billions of lightyears from Earth. One of these bursts was located in 2020 by astronomers to a magnetar in our own galaxy.

Neutron stars known as magnetars have magnetic fields that are about a thousand times stronger than those of the Earth. These magnetic fields are so strong that whatever they orbit tends to experience complete destruction at their hands. In essence, this fictitious human would disintegrate more quickly than a Spider-Man after a snap.

Scientists have hypothesized that magnetars, which are quite potent (and terrifying), are to blame for these quick radio bursts. The first time a FRB has been traced back to its source is in SGR 1935+2154. This particular burst is noteworthy because it is the most potent FRB we have so far detected, with an energy three times greater than that of our own sun's radiation.

But because magnetars are incredibly rare in our own galaxy, just because we were able to locate the source of a FRB doesn't suggest that all fast radio bursts originate from them (there are about 30 candidates in total). Like magnetars, we also don't fully comprehend the origin of rapid radio bursts.