Scientists in India and Canada reportedly discovered a radio signal sent from a galaxy 9 billion light-years away from Earth. It is the first time a radio signal has been captured from that distance.

"A galaxy emits different kinds of radio signals," said Arnab Chakraborty, a post-doctoral cosmologist from McGill University Department of Physics. "Until now, it's only been possible to capture this particular signal from a galaxy nearby, limiting our knowledge to those galaxies closer to Earth."

Chakraborty said the discovery is the "equivalent to a look-back in time of 8.8 billion years."

The Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope in Pune, India, captured the signal, Economic Times reports.

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What is special about this signal is that it has a unique wavelength, which is known as a "21-centimeter line" or the "hydrogen line." It is reportedly emitted by neutral hydrogen atoms. The signal was emitted from a "star-forming galaxy", which is titled SDSSJ0826+5630.