Scientists Detect Chirping Cosmic Waves in Unexpected Part of Space

NASA’s four Magnetospheric Multiscale, or MMS, satellites at the Astrotech Space Operations facility in Titusville, Fla., on March 2015. NASA via AP

NEW YORK—Scientists have detected cosmic waves that sound like birds chirping in an unexpected place.

These bursts of plasma, called chorus waves, ripple at the same frequency as human hearing. When converted to audio signals, their sharp notes mimic high-pitched bird calls.