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The Wow! Signal Deciphered. It Was Hydrogen All Along.

The Wow! signal, detected on August 15, 1977, was an intense radio transmission that appeared artificial and raised the possibility of extraterrestrial contact. However, recent research suggests it may have been caused by a natural astrophysical event involving a magnetar flare striking a hydrogen c...

"Our latest observations, made between February and May 2020, have revealed similar narrowband signals near the hydrogen line, though less intense than the original Wow! Signal was caused by sudden brightening from stimulated emission of the hydrogen line due to a strong transient radiation source, such as a magnetar flare or a soft gamma repeater (SGR)," the researchers write. "Given the detectability of the clouds as demonstrated in our data, this insight could enable precise location of the signal's origin and permit continuous monitoring for subsequent events," the researchers explain.

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