Overview
Researchers in China have reportedly identified a radio signal with characteristics sometimes associated with an artificial transmission, prompting renewed interest in the search for extraterrestrial intelligence. The signal, designated NBS 260108, was detected in archival observations of the star system K2-155, located approximately 238 light-years from Earth.
The report, published by WION on November 4, 2026, says the signal was found while scientists reexamined observations collected in 2021 by China’s Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical Telescope, or FAST. Researchers were reportedly testing new analysis software on data from 33 planetary systems when the signal was identified. The findings were said to have been published in The Astronomical Journal, although the available source material does not provide the study’s authors, paper title, or details of independent follow-up observations.
Signal Characteristics
According to the report, NBS 260108 appeared as a steady, extremely narrow radio tone concentrated around a single frequency. Narrowband signals are of interest in SETI research because many natural astronomical radio sources emit across a broad range of frequencies, while technological transmitters can produce highly concentrated signals.
The signal was reportedly detected in only one of 19 telescope beams directed toward the region containing K2-155. Its apparent confinement to the beam aimed at the star system was described as another feature that attracted researchers’ attention. The report also said the signal displayed a gradual change in frequency, or “drift,” which can occur when a transmitter or its target moves relative to the observing telescope.
These characteristics are considered useful indicators when prioritizing potential technosignatures, but they do not establish that a signal was produced by extraterrestrial technology. Human-made radio interference, satellite transmissions, instrument effects and data-processing artifacts can sometimes mimic features that initially appear unusual.
The K2-155 System
K2-155 is reported to host three planets larger than Earth, commonly described as super-Earths. One of them is said to orbit within the star’s habitable zone—the region where conditions could, under suitable atmospheric circumstances, allow liquid water to exist on a planet’s surface.
The presence of a potentially habitable world makes the system especially compelling from an astrobiological perspective. However, a planet’s location within the habitable zone does not demonstrate that it contains life. Scientists would need evidence about its atmosphere, surface conditions and chemical composition before assessing whether it could support biology.
Nor does the apparent origin of a radio signal prove that it came from a planet in the system. Establishing a connection would require repeated detections, precise localization and tests showing that the signal tracks the star system rather than a source closer to Earth.
Verification Remains Essential
Astronomers generally treat an unusual signal as a candidate until it survives extensive checks. Those checks can include observations with independent telescopes, confirmation that the signal disappears when the target leaves the telescope beam, comparisons with known satellite and terrestrial transmissions, and analysis of whether the frequency pattern is consistent across multiple observing sessions.
The available information contains no independent confirmation that NBS 260108 has been detected again or verified by another observatory. It also does not indicate whether researchers have ruled out local interference or technical problems. For that reason, the signal’s origin remains unverified.
The report’s description may justify additional scientific investigation, but it is premature to characterize the event as a “first handshake” or evidence of extraterrestrial life. At present, NBS 260108 is best understood as a potentially interesting radio candidate whose significance will depend on reproducible observations and peer-reviewed follow-up work.
