China's giant alien-hunting telescope detects 'mysterious signals'

China's giant alien-hunting telescope has received more than 100 'mysterious signals' from a source three billion light years away.

The Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical Telescope (FAST) captured the Fast Radio Bursts - small pulses of radio signals that originate from deep space – in August, it has been reported.

Scientists at the Chinese Academy of Sciences still don't know the source of the pulses, preciously dubbed "FRB121102".

The same signal was first picked up in 2012 at the Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico and has been spotted several times since.

One possible theory is high energy processes out in the universe could be responsible.

The satellite dish, located in Guizhou in the southwest of China, was purpose built to listen to the Milky Way for any signs of alien signals.

FAST Chief engineer Jiang Peng hoped the discovery would help the telescope pass its final review.

"Once we pass this review, FAST becomes an accepted telescope for exploring the Universe," he said.

"Fast has been open to Chinese astronomers since April 2019. After the National Construction Acceptance, it will be open to astronomers across the world."

Although FAST has been wholly funded by the government of China, Australia's Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization collaborated on the project.