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Powerful Blast Confuses Astronomers

Posted by Zonk on from the somehow-i-think-this-bodes-ill-for-earth dept.

eldavojohn writes "Astronomers are still speculating as to what could have caused an abnormally strong five millisecond burst to be detected six years ago when it completely saturated their recording equipment. From the article: 'The burst was so bright that at the time it was first recorded it was dismissed as man-made radio interference. It put out a huge amount of power (10exp33 Joules), equivalent to a large (2000MW) power station running for two billion billion years.'"

8 of 330 comments (clear)

  1. Re:The answer: by HotNeedleOfInquiry · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    Or destroyed a particularly wicked world.

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    "Eve of Destruction", it's not just for old hippies anymore...
  2. Re:You'd think geeks would know immediately by cstdenis · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    Lesse, a long time ago in a galaxy far far away ... Yet somehow in the future.
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    1984 was not supposed to be an instruction manual.
  3. Re:The Great Green Arkleseizure.... by empaler · · Score: 1, Offtopic

    Finally, somebody else who actually read the books! :-D

  4. Re:The answer: by mrbluze · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    God sneezed.

    Actually I think it has more to do with the fact that astronomers eat far too much McDonalds.

    Pffffffffaarrrrrrttttt!

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    Do it yourself, because no one else will do it yourself. [beta blockade 10-17 Feb]
  5. Re:The answer: by OrangeTide · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    wickeder than Earth??

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    “Common sense is not so common.” — Voltaire
  6. Re:You'd think geeks would know immediately by element-o.p. · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    No, not the Death Star -- Alderaan!

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    MCSE? No, sir...I don't do Windows. Yes, I am an idealist. What's your point?
  7. Re:Six years ago was 2001 by Fantastic+Lad · · Score: 0, Offtopic
    Yes, yes, but what everybody wants to know is. . .

    What's Britney like to be with? I mean, only 8 other guys know the answer.


    -FL

  8. Re:The answer: by ILuvRamen · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    people say that cuz your heart supposedly stops or beats irreguarly breifly when you sneeze due to a massive blood pressure surge from the contraction of the diaphragm muscles so the bless you part was started because it's like you're hoping the person's heart keeps beating. Mine has every time I did it lol. So anyway my point is, he doesn't have a physical heart and can't die anyway so yeah lol.
    And my 2 cents: there's a theory that Soft Gamme Repeaters aka Nuetron starts that occassionally burst like that can be in our own galaxy without destroying or damaging us and can and do easily last 5 milliseconds. Why is everyone so confused? It's on wikipedia and a show on the Discovery channel!

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