Gamma-ray bursts are the most energetic explosions in the Universe. Today, we discuss how to use one GRB as a beacon to study the properties of a high redshift galaxy, the composition of the gas in the intergalactic medium at high redshift and the formation of dust in the Universe.
Gravitational lensing causes distortions in the polarization of the Cosmic Microwave Background. In this astrobite, we discuss recent results from the South Pole Telescope collaboration measuring patterns caused by lensing in the CMB polarization. What do these patterns tell us about the Universe?
Short gamma-ray bursts, extremely energetic explosions in the Universe, might be caused by the merger of two compact objects. In the two papers we discuss today, the authors test this scenario by looking for light emitted still a few days after the explosion.
In today’s astrobite, we discuss the opacity of the Universe to high energy photons. The cosmic gamma-ray horizon, constrained by the authors of this paper, is a measure of this opacity, a cosmological probe and means of estimating blazar redshifts.
In today’s astrobite, we discuss the puzzling results from the AMS-02 experiment, which has detected an excess of positrons in cosmic rays with respect to what we expect from known physical sources. Where are those positrons coming from?