PBS Space Time Season 2016 Episode 13 Pulsar Starquakes Make Fast Radio Bursts? + Challenge Winners!

PBS Space Time season 2016 episode 13, titled "Pulsar Starquakes Make Fast Radio Bursts? + Challenge Winners!", explores the possibility that pulsar starquakes are responsible for the fast radio bursts that scientists have observed.

The episode introduces the concept of pulsars, which are highly magnetized, rotating neutron stars that emit beams of electromagnetic radiation. These beams are sometimes directed towards Earth, and can be observed as pulsing signals at regular intervals. However, some pulsars have been observed emitting sporadic bursts of radio waves that do not follow the regular pulsing pattern. These bursts are known as fast radio bursts (FRBs), and their origin has been a mystery to scientists.

The episode delves into the various proposed explanations for FRBs, including the possibility that they are caused by highly energetic events such as supernovas or black hole collisions. However, the episode focuses on a recent theory proposed by a team of scientists from McGill University, which suggests that FRBs may be caused by pulsar starquakes.

According to this theory, when a pulsar experiences a starquake – a sudden release of energy from the surface of the star – it could generate a burst of radio waves that would be observed as an FRB. The episode explains how the team from McGill University used computer simulations to test this theory, and how they were able to reproduce the observed properties of FRBs using their model of pulsar starquakes.

The episode also highlights the recent success of the Breakthrough Listen project, which aims to search for signs of extraterrestrial intelligence in the universe by scanning for FRBs. The project recently detected an FRB from a galaxy located over 3 billion light-years away, and this detection has provided valuable data for scientists studying these mysterious events.

In addition to discussing the science behind FRBs, the episode also announces the winners of the PBS Space Time Challenge, a competition in which viewers were asked to submit their own theories for what causes FRBs. The episode features interviews with the challenge winners, who provide their own unique perspectives on this fascinating topic.

Overall, PBS Space Time season 2016 episode 13 provides a detailed and engaging exploration of the science behind fast radio bursts, and offers an intriguing new theory for what might be causing these mysterious events. The episode also highlights the exciting work being done by scientists and researchers in the field of astronomy and astrophysics, and showcases the creativity and enthusiasm of science enthusiasts around the world.