Unusual Radio Signal Detected From K2-155 System
Chinese astronomers report an unusual signal from a star system about 238 light-years away, though its origin remains unconfirmed.
Updated on Nov. 8, 2026 in Space
Chinese astronomers detected an unusual radio signal apparently originating from the K2-155 star system, designated NBS 260108. Similar radio signals were identified during observations of three other stars.
Why it matters
The signal's narrow frequency range and gradual frequency shift have drawn attention from researchers studying possible technosignatures. Researchers have not confirmed that the signal originated from an alien civilisation.
The signal appeared in just one of FAST's 19 beams, the one aimed at K2-155, across an analysis of 33 planetary systems observed in 2021. Researchers have not yet ruled out interference or established that the signal came from the star system.
The players
Five-hundred-metre Aperture Spherical Radio Telescope (FAST)
China's large radio telescope in Guizhou province, the world's largest single-dish radio telescope, used to detect the signal.
The details
Researchers detected the signal, designated NBS 260108, using China's Five-hundred-metre Aperture Spherical Radio Telescope (FAST) during an analysis of 2021 observations. The signal has an exceptionally narrow frequency range and shifts gradually in frequency. The K2-155 system is approximately 238 light-years from Earth and contains three super-Earth planets, including K2-155d, which orbits every 40.7 days near a region where liquid water might exist.
Timeline
2021: FAST conducted observations of 33 planetary systems, including K2-155.
November 8, 2026: The signal detection was reported publicly.
The Big Picture
The detection relies on the multi-beam design of FAST, the largest single-dish radio telescope, to localise a signal to one of its 19 beams. The finding extends the telescope's use in the search for technosignatures beyond its original mapping of pulsars and neutral hydrogen.
The finding does not change anything about daily life, since the signal is unconfirmed and no follow-up has been completed. Its practical significance depends on whether further analysis of the telescope's recordings can identify a terrestrial or astrophysical source.
The takeaway
The detection shows how multi-beam radio telescopes can narrow the origin of faint signals, but extraordinary claims require confirmation from additional observations. Readers should treat the report as an open research question rather than a confirmed discovery.
What happens next
Researchers plan to examine additional recordings from all 19 beams of the FAST telescope to establish the signal's origin.
Further reading
Explore more on the Space section for related coverage of distant planetary systems and radio astronomy.
Source note: This article includes information reported by BGNES: Breaking News, Latest News and Videos.
