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How two gamma-ray bursts created record-breaking high-energy photons

Light packing up to 1 trillion electron volts reveals details of these cosmic explosions

Exploding star illustration

The explosion of a star can trigger a gamma-ray burst (illustrated). Speedy electrons trapped in magnetic fields produce energetic light from these bursts, new research shows.

Science Communication Lab/DESY

By Christopher Crockett

- More than 2 years ago

Two eruptions of gamma rays from exploding stars in far-off galaxies have pelted Earth with the highest-energy photons yet detected from one of these explosions.