The longest GRB ever detected is an intriguing puzzle

Gamma-ray bursts (GRB) are some of the most perplexing phenomena in nature. Even though astronomers have detected about 15,000 of them, with a new one each day, they're still mysterious. They're the most luminous, energetic explosions in the universe, and typically last only a few milliseconds, or a few minutes, with a handful of them lasting for a few hours.