Astronomers link mysterious cosmic flashes to merging neutron stars

A study in Science Bulletin provides evidence that merging neutron stars can produce X-ray flashes lasting several minutes, not just gamma-ray bursts under two seconds. This may explain some cosmic flashes of previously unknown origin.

• Neutron star mergers are usually identified by gamma-ray bursts shorter than two seconds
• New research points to X-ray flashes lasting several minutes
• Some flashes of unknown origin may be neutron star mergers