Unraveling the Mystery: Scientists Detect an Unexplained Signal from Beyond Our Galaxy!

Gamma ray bursts (GRBs) are among the strongest explosions seen in our universe, generating incredible energy in just seconds—far more than our Sun will produce in its lifetime of 10 billion years. Typically, GRBs happen when massive stars collapse in a supernova, ending their stellar lives.

Recently, astronomers detected a remarkable GRB that has scientists baffled. This burst, labeled GRB 250702B, repeated several times in a single day, as if the star experienced multiple deaths in succession. Antonio Martin-Carrillo from University College Dublin noted that this event is unprecedented in the history of GRB observations.

“GRBs are catastrophic, so we expect them to happen only once,” Martin-Carrillo remarked. The very existence of this repeated signal raises significant questions. How can a star explode multiple times when we usually expect total destruction?

Star death typically involves massive stars fizzling out their fuel and collapsing under gravity, resulting in a supernova that scatters debris across space. However, some supernovae, especially in binary star systems, can behave differently. In such cases, a dense white dwarf can pull material from a companion star, leading to a series of explosive events. These, however, would not cause a double or triple GRB.

When scientists first detected GRB 250702B on July 2 using NASA’s Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope, they noted three distinct bursts. Later analysis revealed that the Einstein Probe had detected activity nearly a day prior. Andrew Levan, another astronomer involved, pointed out that this event lasted 100 to 1,000 times longer than typical GRBs and showed signs of periodicity—a first in the field.

Initially, researchers thought this GRB might be local, within our Milky Way. However, further observations using the HAWK-I camera on the Very Large Telescope in Chile indicated it originated from billions of light-years away, making it much more powerful than expected.

Theories on the Cause

A few theories attempt to explain this unique event, though none entirely fit the data. One theory suggests a massive star could be collapsing but continuously drawing in material that powers its explosion. This scenario, however, typically leads to brief GRBs, not prolonged bursts.

Another possibility involves a tidal disruption event (TDE), where a star is consumed by a black hole. This hypothesis presents its own challenges, particularly regarding the characteristics of the black hole involved, which could be an intermediate-mass black hole—a type that has yet to be directly observed. The existence of such black holes creates what astronomers refer to as a “mass gap.”

Martin-Carrillo acknowledges that whether we can definitively understand this phenomenon remains uncertain. However, this discovery marks a significant advancement in our understanding of such extraordinary cosmic events.

As our technology evolves, we may uncover more about GRBs and deep space phenomena, perhaps shedding light on hidden aspects of our universe. By studying events like GRB 250702B, we edge closer to answers about the forces shaping the cosmos around us.

For more insights into this field, check out the European Southern Observatory’s report.

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