The Green Bank Radiotelescope has received a number of FRBs from a dwarf galaxy at 3 billion light years distance. Their origin is unknown. Meanwhile also Arecibo has received emissions from Ross 128, a much nearer source. Also in this case the origin is unknown. The FRBs have been detected by Berkeley scientists, Ross 128 by an Arecibo astronomer, Abel Mendez.
Tullio

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The newly received fast radio bursts were reportedly received by the Breakthrough Listen project, while observing a known FRB source. Since the aim of this project is to detect signs of extraterrestrial intelligence, they presumably suspect that at least some of the FRBs could have an intelligent origin.

I started a thread in Science (non-SETI) because I thought it was an astronomical subject. But since it was discovered by the Breaktrough Listen people maybe it could be united with the other thread, I have no objection.
Tullio

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The SETI Institute is currently using the Allen Telescope Array to observe FRB 121102. They, too, seem to think that an intelligent cause is worth considering, and that it is also worth the effort to test this hypothesis.

AFAIK the first FRB was detcted at Parkes, then at Arecibo. But this new source is repeating, This explains the interest. Maybe the China FAST 500 meters antenna could join the search.
Tullio

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AFAIK the first FRB was detcted at Parkes, then at Arecibo. But this new source is repeating, This explains the interest. Maybe the China FAST 500 meters antenna could join the search.
Tullio

+1

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Capitalize on this good fortune, one word can bring you round ... changes.

Even wilder speculation swirls around the source of fast radio bursts, which refuses to reveal itself. Early theories include primordial black holes, colliding neutron stars, and even some idle talk about extraterrestrial civilizations, though aliens are not an explanation that’s generally taken seriously.

“We agree with the majority of the astronomical community that the likelihood of ET being involved in this source is low, but the source is nevertheless very mysterious,” Siemion says. “We know, without a doubt, that the universe is capable of giving rise to technologically capable life. We would be remiss as scientists to exclude this possibility a priori.”

Now, more serious investigations are focused on magnetars, the extremely magnetic, fantastically dense corpses of exploded stars. These rotating neutron stars launch humongous flares into the cosmos, but whether those flares are somehow linked to the barrage of radio waves is still a mystery.

It’s also possible that FRB 121102 is so active it could have exhausted the total magnetic energy in a magnetar, Law says. “That is a stupendous amount of energy being emitted.”

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/2017/09/radio-bursts-galaxy-space-breakthrough-listen-science/

3 billion light years away??? The above is the most likely scenario .

Chris S., is so right about two threads on this subject.

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AFAIK the first FRB was detcted at Parkes, then at Arecibo. But this new source is repeating, This explains the interest. Maybe the China FAST 500 meters antenna could join the search.
Tullio

I thought they were looking for someone with experience to run that thing.

China is offering over a million dollars for a foreigner to run the world’s largest telescope, so why is nobody applying?

http://www.scmp.com/news/china/society/article/2105278/china-offering-over-million-dollars-foreigner-run-worlds-largest

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“We agree with the majority of the astronomical community that the likelihood of ET being involved in this source is low, but the source is nevertheless very mysterious,” Siemion says. “We know, without a doubt, that the universe is capable of giving rise to technologically capable life. We would be remiss as scientists to exclude this possibility a priori.”

The SETI Institute has been scrutinizing FRB 121102 steadily for the past 18 hours, with no signs of stopping soon. Rather a lot of concentrated attention for such a supposed 'long shot', it seems.