ScienceJuly 4, 2026
gamma
/ˈɡæmə/
Definition
Refers to high-energy electromagnetic radiation, specifically identified in the context of astronomical phenomena like 'gamma ray bursts'.
Etymology
Derived from the third letter of the Greek alphabet, 'gamma'. In physics, it was adopted in the early 20th century to label the third type of radiation discovered emitted from radioactive substances.
In the news
The article uses the term to describe the types of massive cosmic explosions that the Swift Observatory is designed to track and study.
Rescue mission launches to save NASA telescope that's falling back to Earth thanks to solar storms
Read the full article ↗PBS