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Should you be worried about gamma ray bursts?
Certainly, a gamma-ray burst could affect life’s DNA, causing genetic damage long after the burst is over. If such a thing happened in Earth’s history, it could well have altered the evolution of life on our planet. The good news is that Earth being blasted by a GRB is a pretty unlikely event.
Why are gamma ray bursts difficult to study?
Because of their short duration, gamma ray bursts are difficult to “catch.” Astronomers are devising clever techniques in order to learn the cause, frequency and role these events play in the evolution of the universe.
How long do gamma ray bursts last?
Long-duration bursts last anywhere from 2 seconds to a few hundreds of seconds (several minutes), with an average time of about 30 seconds. They are associated with the deaths of massive stars in supernovas; though not every supernova produces a gamma-ray burst.
What causes a long gamma ray burst?
Most gamma-ray bursts are thought to be the result of huge stellar explosions – supernovae – in distant galaxies. They typically flash into being, shine for milliseconds or last several minutes, and then leave behind what astronomers refer to as an afterglow.
What causes time reversibility in gamma-ray bursts?
Now, new research suggests a potential answer for what might be causing this time reversibility effect. If waves within the relativistic jets that produce gamma-ray bursts travel faster than light – at ‘superluminal’ speeds – one of the effects could be time reversibility.
What is a gamma-ray burst (GRB)?
We do know that gamma-ray bursts are the most energetic events to occur in the Universe! In order to understand what a gamma-ray burst (or GRB) is, you must first realize that gamma-rays are a type of light. In fact, gamma-rays are the most energetic form of light known. Light is a form of energy called electromagnetic radiation.
Do gamma-ray bursts travel faster than light?
If waves within the relativistic jets that produce gamma-ray bursts travel faster than light – at ‘superluminal’ speeds – one of the effects could be time reversibility. Such speeding waves could actually be possible.
What is a gamma-ray flash?
At least once a day, the sky lights up with a spectacular flash of gamma-rays coming from deep space (remember: gamma-rays are not in the visible range of the electromagnetic spectrum so we consequently are not aware of the phenomena). The brightness of this flash of gamma-rays can temporarily overwhelm all other gamma-ray sources in the Universe.