Fast Radio Bursts - Far Reaching Beacons

Fast Radio Bursts (FRBs) are bright, intense and rapid flashes of radio waves that can reach us from across the cosmos. First discovered less than two decades ago, FRBs have rapidly become one of the most exciting mysteries in astrophysics. Recent discoveries — including a burst from a magnetar (a highly magnetized neutron star) in our own galaxy, and the precise localization of over a hundred FRBs to distant galaxies — have reshaped our understanding of these enigmatic signals. Yet fundamental questions remain: Are all FRBs produced by magnetars? Do all sources repeat? What is the mechanism that powers the bursts themselves? In this talk, I will introduce the key observational features of FRBs and the leading ideas about their origins. I will also highlight how, even without a full understanding of their sources, FRBs offer remarkable opportunities for cosmology — from mapping "missing" baryonic matter in the Universe to probing the epoch of cosmic reionization. These radio flashes are not just puzzles to solve, but also powerful tools to explore the structure and history of the Universe.

*** Refreshments at 12:00, talk at 12:15.