Some of the universe's most energetic and mysterious light shows, long gamma-ray bursts, could be generated after dense dead stars collide to create infant black holes surrounded by a natal disk of ...

This breakthrough, initiated by first-year B.Sc. students, may prove key in finally discovering the origins of these mysterious bursts. The result is now published in Astrophysical Journal Letters.

A constellation of tiny satellites could revolutionize the study of the most energetic explosion in the cosmos and help astronomers untangle the mysteries of colliding stellar remnants that produce ...

When a distant galaxy briefly outshines everything around it in high-energy light, astronomers usually know which playbook to reach for. Gamma-ray bursts tend to fall into familiar categories, either ...

The longest gamma-ray burst ever recorded did not behave like a quick cosmic flash. Instead, it burned across the sky for more than seven hours, forcing astronomers to rethink what powers the universe ...

Astronomers have determined what caused the brightest cosmic explosion ever recorded. Lasting a matter of minutes, the gamma-ray burst, named GRB 221009A, was observed by astronomers in October 2022.

The unexpectedly powerful light from the brightest space explosion ever seen may mean that space is more transparent than we thought. Last year, astronomers witnessed a flash of gamma rays that was ...

If you buy something using links in our stories, we may earn a commission. This helps support our journalism. Learn more. Please also consider subscribing to WIRED After the initial discovery, ...

"The gamma-ray burst traveled through intergalactic space at the speed of light for eleven billion years, during which time the Sun and the planets were born." — Timothy Ferris, in the film version of ...

Astronomers are trying to understand what caused a series of gamma ray bursts, or GRBs — the most powerful explosions in the universe. These energetic bursts are typically unleashed by the incendiary ...

Down here at the bottom of our ocean of air, it’s easy to get complacent about the hazards our universe presents. We feel safe from the dangers of the vacuum of space, where radiation sizzles and ...