Contemporary Science Issues and Innovations: Gamma Ray Bursts

Dr. Raul Jimenez describes one of the most fascinating enigmas in science: gamma ray bursts (GRBs), the most powerful explosions in the universe. He explains the relationship between GRBs and life: areas of the universe where planets might be relatively safe --or not-- from the destructive force of GRB radiation. Earth, we learn, has been relatively fortunate, but at least one of the ancient mass extinctions on our planet may have been due to the radiation from a GRB.