he Most Powerful Gamma-Ray Burst Ever Recorded Hit Earth Astronomers have confirmed that the most powerful gamma-ray burst (GRB) ever detected struck Earth after traveling billions of light-years through space. Known as GRB 221009A, the blast was so intense that it overwhelmed space-based detectors and briefly disrupted Earth’s upper atmosphere—despite originating far outside our galaxy. Gamma-ray bursts are caused by the collapse of massive stars into black holes or the merger of neutron stars,