A recent gamma-ray burst (GRB) captured on July 2, 2025, is challenging our current understanding of cosmic phenomena. This GRB, lasting nearly a day, is the longest ever observed, while typical bursts usually last just milliseconds to a few minutes.
What’s even more astonishing is that this event seems to have repeated. This defies what astronomers know since GRBs typically result from catastrophic events that don’t occur more than once.
Astrophysicist Antonio Martin-Carrillo from University College Dublin notes, “This event is unlike anything we’ve seen in 50 years of observing GRBs. These blasts are usually one-time explosions. Yet, this one displayed repeated activity in a way we’ve never observed before.”
GRBs are among the universe’s most powerful explosions, emitting more energy in a few seconds than our Sun will in its entire life. Two main triggers are believed to cause them: a massive star collapsing into a black hole or two neutron stars merging.
The newly designated GRB 250702B was spotted multiple times over several hours by NASA’s Fermi gamma-ray telescope, suggesting a high level of activity. Researchers led by Martin-Carrillo and Andrew Levan of Radboud University quickly began to investigate this unique incident.
As they analyzed the data, they found that X-ray signals from the same source had been detected nearly a day earlier by the Einstein Probe, a space-based observatory. Initially, astronomers thought the source was within our Milky Way galaxy due to its brightness, but further observations with advanced telescopes confirmed it was far beyond.
Experts are puzzled by the unusual galaxy that hosted this GRB. Its strange shape appears split into two distinct parts, which may hold clues about the explosion’s origins.
Martin-Carrillo speculates, “If a massive star, about 40 times the mass of our Sun, had died, it may have gone through an unusual final phase. Alternatively, the repeating flashes might come from a star being torn apart by a black hole, known as a tidal disruption event (TDE).”
This new detection raises questions. If it’s a TDE, it might involve a rare ‘intermediate mass black hole,’ a type scientists have sought for years.
To better understand GRB 250702B, astronomers need to measure the distance to the galaxy it originated from. This measurement will help clarify its brightness and energy output.
Martin-Carrillo emphasizes the significance of this discovery, stating, “We might not fully understand what caused this explosion, but our research is a major step toward unraveling this cosmic enigma.”
The findings of this incredible event have been published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters. This discovery not only broadens our knowledge of the universe but also ignites curiosity about phenomena we have yet to fully explore.
For more detailed insights, you can read the study here.
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