Are gamma-ray bursts powered by a star's collapsing magnetic fields?
Tuesday, April 7, 2020 - 10:11
in Astronomy & Space
In its final moments of life, a distant massive star releases an intense burst of high-energy gamma radiation - a Gamma Ray Burst (GRB) - the brightest sources of energy in the universe, detectable to humans through powerful telescopes. Scientists have long been divided over what powers these extraordinary explosions. Now research suggests a dying star's collapsing magnetic field may hold the answers.