Astronomers have detected and traced the most distant fast radio burst ever recorded, a powerful flash of radio waves that traveled for more than 10 billion years across the cosmos before reaching Earth.

Fast radio bursts (FRBs) are among the most mysterious phenomena in astronomy. Lasting only milliseconds, they release enormous amounts of energy, but their origins remain uncertain.

The discovery, led by researchers Dr. Manisha Caleb and Dr. Themiya Nanayakkara at the University of Sydney, is published today in the journal Science.