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Nature 437, 822-823 (6 October 2005) | doi:10.1038/437822a; Published online 5 October 2005

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Astrophysics: Short-burst sources

Luigi Piro1

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Measurements of the X-ray afterglow of long gamma-ray bursts largely clarified the origin of these bright flashes of cosmic radiation. Their shorter-lived siblings are now beginning to divulge their secrets, too.

The distance, energy output and source of the mysterious flashes of high-energy radiation known as short gamma-ray bursts have so far resisted all attempts at their elucidation. Observations presented in this issue1, 2, 3, 4 establish for the first time the cosmological distance of the bursts and provide solid support for the favoured theoretical model for their origin.

  1. Luigi Piro is at the Istituto Astrofisica Spaziale e Fisica Cosmica, INAF, Via Fosso del Cavaliere 100, 00133 Rome, Italy.
    Email: piro@rm.iasf.cnr.it

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