Exploring Gamma Ray Bursts

In 1963, a test ban treaty was signed to limit the arms race, leading to the development of VILA satellites equipped with sensors to detect nuclear detonations. These satellites unexpectedly discovered gamma rays from deep space, prompting further research. Gamma ray bursts, previously associated with nuclear events, were found to originate from distant cosmic sources, releasing immense energy. To study these bursts, the Swift satellite was launched in 2004, recently detecting a significant event 13 billion light years away, marking it as the most distant known feature in the universe.

What was the primary purpose of the VILA satellites developed by America?

• To explore deep space

• To study gamma ray bursts

• To detect nuclear detonations

• To monitor weather patterns

What unexpected discovery did the VILA satellites make?

• Signals from alien life

• Gamma ray bursts from deep space

• Changes in Earth's magnetic field

• New planets in the solar system

What was initially thought to be the source of the gamma ray bursts detected by the satellites?

• Collapsing stars

• Alien technology

• Black holes

• Supernova explosions

What was the main challenge in observing gamma ray bursts?

• They are too bright

• They are blocked by Earth's atmosphere

• They occur only in the daytime

• They are extremely rare and brief

What significant observation did the Swift satellite make?

• A new planet in the solar system

• A black hole forming

• A gamma ray burst from 13 billion light years away

• A supernova explosion in the Milky Way