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Gamma-ray bursts

Light on the distant Universe

Observations of a long-lasting γ-ray burst, one that has the brightest optical counterpart yet discovered, challenge theoretical understanding of these bursts but may enhance their usefulness as cosmic probes.

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Figure 1: Timeline of the Universe since the formation of the first stars.

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Grindlay, J. Light on the distant Universe. Nature 455, 177–178 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1038/455177a

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