The James Webb Space Telescope has discovered the cause of the most powerful cosmic explosion since the Big Bang.
Yet their research reveals a new mystery — supernovas such as the one behind the BOAT are supposed to be cosmic factories for heavy elements such as platinum and gold, but when the researchers looked, they found no evidence for them. The scientists published their findings April 12 in the journal Nature Astronomy.
Related: James Webb telescope confirms there is something seriously wrong with our understanding of the universe The first gamma-ray bursts were detected accidentally by US military satellites in the 1960s. Since then, they have continued to ping up on equipment that is able to detect their high-energy light. But when the BOAT appeared, it was at least 10 times brighter than any other cosmic explosion ever witnessed.
"The GRB was so bright that it obscured any potential supernova signature in the first weeks and months after the burst," Blanchard said."At these times, the so-called afterglow of the GRB was like the headlights of a car coming straight at you, preventing you from seeing the car itself. So, we had to wait for it to fade significantly to give us a chance of seeing the supernova.