Astronomers may have finally solved the mystery behind a nearly two-decade-old cosmic explosion that seemed to break the rules of physics. The energy output of a powerful gamma-ray burst, GRB 061201, discovered in 2006, did not match well-established patterns seen in other similar explosions. Now, in a new study published in the Astrophysical Journal on Aug. 3, astronomers have revealed why.

Humans have been observing the sky for thousands of years. Our ancestors were undoubtedly fascinated by it, but observing the heavens also had practical uses: It helped people measure time, both over the course of the day and through the changing seasons, and became especially important with the spread of agriculture. What is now seen as scientific frontiers, such as cosmology and astrophysics, are in fact only the latest chapter in an evolving history of observing and interpreting the sky.

Researchers from Tokyo Metropolitan University have created a new system to test magnetohydrodynamic aerobraking for spacecraft reentering the atmosphere. Their platform generates intense magnetic fields with a powerful electromagnet as a miniature vessel is hit with a shock wave traveling at over seven kilometers per second (4.3 miles per second). The magnets reached far higher fields than previous work with permanent magnets and are a crucial stepping stone toward tests with real vessels in the atmosphere.

NASA is preparing to launch its new flagship space telescope on Sunday, embarking on a multiyear mission to create an unprecedented map of the cosmos and shed light on some of the biggest mysteries in physics.