Astronomers uncover the magnetic signature of a cosmic explosion

Gamma-ray bursts are among the most powerful explosions in the universe, releasing immense amounts of energy in just seconds. Tanmoy Laskar, assistant professor of physics and astronomy at the University of Utah, discusses the first-ever detection of the magnetic fingerprint from one of these extraordinary cosmic events. Using the National Science Foundation's Very Large Array radio telescope, researchers measured polarized light from a gamma-ray burst afterglow to reveal its powerful magnetic fields. Laskar explains what this breakthrough means for understanding some of the universe's most extreme and mysterious phenomena.