Gamma-ray Bursts: 50 Years and Counting!

Abstract

Gamma-ray bursts were discovered by the Vela satellites in the late 1960s, but they were announced for the first time exactly 50 years ago, in 1973. The history of our understanding of gamma-ray bursts can be subdivided into several eras. We will highlight the main discoveries about GRBs, as well as the path toward the future that each GRB era could still indicate.