The multi-beam receiver is also uniquely suited for resolving one of the nagging problems of modern radio-telescopy: screening out radio frequency interference (RFI).
It seems the degree of interference from background noise depends on the overlap between the processing required on the task and the processing required to screen out the background noise.
So to determine how much of the stuff was truly interstellar—from beyond our solar system—the researchers used other isotopic clues to screen out quantities of iron-60 produced by nuclear reactions and cosmic rays.
This, in turn, suggests that people who can enjoy themselves in a variety of situations have the ability to screen out stimulation and to focus only on what they decide is relevant for the moment.