Gamma-ray bursts could cause mass extinction
When a massive star dies, the resulting implosion can generate a supernova, leaving behind either a neutron star or a black hole. However, the event also generates gamma-ray bursts, which are super-powerful energetic explosions that scientists theorize could cause mass extinction if pointed directly towards our planet.
Luckily, they mostly happen in galaxies too far away for them to reach us. A longer-lived “afterglow” is generally emitted after the initial burst at longer wavelengths, such as ultraviolet, X-ray, infrared, and radio. Scientists were able to measure these rays through their wavelengths and study where they occurred.