Gamma Ray Burst Visible with Eyes, No Telescope Needed

Ah, doesn't this make you feel all warm and cozy inside? Gamma rays burst and you don't need any special tools to see it! Kind of makes them seem extra dangerous don't they? It does raise a question, are we noticing them more now because we're looking for them, or are they too picking up in frequency? Ok, maybe not "frequency" as this one was 7.5 billion years old (the earth wasn't even here when it happened). If you look for something, maybe you'll just find it. But then with the Mayan Calendar "ending" in 2012, and all these exciting things going on, almost makes you wonder.

Almost that is. Personally I'd love to have a near miss of a burst, just once, just to see what it'd look like. The rioting would be about as amazing as the churches being overrun by the "so-called" religious that never visited before. I think I'd be more partial to an asteroid myself… that or a massive volcanic eruption. Something that gives so much warning that we may or may not know the exact day of the end; but just enough for people to show their true selves.

Gamma Rays

Just another way the world might be in a world of hurt. Only now it seems to be big in the news as well. Astronomers at the University of Sydney apparently found a binary star ready to go supernova, and it's pointed at us. To top it all off, it's only 8000 light years away! Well, on a galactic scale that's just down the street. Apparently the swirling appearance the star has proves we're looking right at the tail (poles?), more or less, so if a gamma ray were to be sent out, the earth could likely be hit. Scientists have apparently decided that a gamma ray burst about 6500 light years away could strip the earth's ozone layer (although I believe I've seen "strip the earth of its atmosphere" mentioned as well), thereby ending almost all life or all life.

Know what? Sure sounds like a "Jesus has returned" type of thing. Everyone on the planet would see it at the same moment and life would end as the people would be shoved into the heavens (or pummeled into the ground, vaporized, whatever). And now we've got proof it could happen! Although I doubt many religious people think Jesus and God are stars in a solar system. Or maybe it's just another little thing that could end all life that only now are people noticing and being told exist. The only real question is, if it happened, would we even notice? If death happened in a millisecond (total, brain dead, no chance for "near death" experiences so to speak), would anyone even realize it?

All I know is if you see a sign on the road telling you that interstate 666 is up ahead for all lanes -- it's probably over.