Gamma rays are weightless, high-energy packets of electromagnetic radiation — the same stuff that makes up light. However, while visible light can comfortably light up a room, gamma rays can penetrate concrete, and cause serious damage to the human body as they pass through.
While we may assume we’re safe from the effects of gamma radiation, one particular cosmic phenomenon — gamma-ray bursts — poses a chilling question: What would happen if one of these massive spikes of radiation hit the Earth?
To answer that, we first need to explore what fuels the universe's brightest, most powerful explosion.
How Powerful Is a Gamma-Ray Burst?
These massive releases of energy are rivaled by few in terms of sheer ferocity. In just a few seconds, a gamma-ray burst releases more energy than our sun is capable of generating in the entirety of its lifetime, or 10 billion years.
