(University of Johannesburg) When a star dies, it emits intense flashes of light called a gamma-ray burst. Most days, the Fermi gamma-ray space telescope detects these. About 20 years ago, scientists predicted that a gargantuan energy level would be detected in the afterglow of a gamma-ray burst. In January, the MAGIC telescopes on the Canary Islands observed light at that energy level for the first time. The theories predicting how such light would be produced, are now validated.

Original source: https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2019-11/uoj-cia112219.php