The origin and nature of gamma-ray bursts is currently one of the greatest mysteries in astrophysics. These tremendously powerful blasts produce more energy in a fraction of a second than our Sun does in ten billion years. Since their accidental discovery by American spy satellites over thirty years ago, astronomers have striven to understand these enigmatic explosions. It is only recently, thanks to an Italian-Dutch satellite, and powerful telescopes both on the ground and in space, that the mystery is beginning to be unravelled. Astronomers now realise that gamma-ray bursts are probably related to the birth of black holes in extremely distant galaxies. Flash! describes the fast moving field of gamma ray burst research, from the initial detection right up to the most recent discoveries. Based on interviews with leading scientists, this exciting book provides an inside view of the scientific challenges involved in unravelling the mystery of gamma-ray bursts.

-Contents:

Foreword; Prologue: the breath of Armageddon;
1. The sky watchers of Los Alamos;
2. The bat mystery;
3. A duel over distance;
4. Liras, tears and satellites;
5. Beaming in on afterglows;
6. First among equals;
7. Saucers and shimmers;
8. Thinking with the speed of light;
9. Competition for the Big Bang;
10. Amazing relations;
11. Alchemists of the cosmos;
12. The magnetar attraction;
13. Argus eyes and Livermore;
14. Fireworks and Black Holes;
15. A flashing future;
16. War and peace.