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 ...

See more of our trusted coverage when you search. Prefer Newsweek on Google to see more of our trusted coverage when you search. Astronomers have determined what caused the brightest cosmic explosion ...

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 ...

An international team of astronomers obtained observational evidence for the creation of rare heavy elements in the aftermath of a cataclysmic explosion triggered by the merger of two neutron stars.

When faraway stars explode, they send out flashes of energy called gamma-ray bursts that are bright enough that telescopes back on Earth can detect them. Studying these pulses, which can also come ...