Featured Post from Louisiana State University

NASA Missions Discover Record-Setting Blast

LSU astrophysicist Eric Burns is among scientists poring over data from NASA satellites and other facilities as they try to determine what caused an extraordinary cosmic outburst discovered on July 2.

Dec 9, 2025

3 min

Black Hole Eats Star: NASA Missions Discover Record-Setting Blast

Dr. Eric Burns, associate professor of Physics & Astronomy in LSU’s College of Science, leads a consortium that studies gamma-ray bursts (GRBs), including the July event that, because of its long duration, stands in a class by itself. Because opportunities to study such events are so rare, and because they may reveal new ways to create GRBs, astronomers are particularly excited about the July burst.

Burns discussed the discovery and the significance of this area of research.

Can you explain your interest in gamma-ray bursts, why they matter, and how they play into these new discoveries?

"I run a consortium that studies gamma-ray bursts. These are the most luminous explosions in the universe, other than the Big Bang itself.

The consortium's been operating for almost 50 years. We've seen 15,000 gamma-ray bursts. We've used these sightings to understand the speed of gravity, where gold is created, and fundamental properties in the universe.

In July, we detected a gamma-ray burst that was longer than we've ever seen before. They're normally like 30 seconds long. This one was 8 hours. It was so long that we didn't believe it was a gamma-ray burst for a while."

What was your role in investigating this phenomenon?

"The consortium I run helped find it and helped figure out where it was coming from. We put a bunch of telescopes on it to try and figure out what was happening and to understand what caused this event.

Normal gamma-ray bursts come from a massive star near the end of its life. The interior of the star collapses, and it forms a black hole. That black hole eats it from the inside out, and it launches this matter that's moving at basically the speed of light, and that produces your gamma-ray burst.

By chance, a colleague and I had written a paper earlier this year on what is the longest gamma-ray burst you could produce with this scenario. And the answer is 1,000 seconds. So we're pretty sure that what happened here was this: You have that massive star, but instead of its core becoming the black hole, instead you have a black hole that falls into it. Or they sort of fall into each other."

How was this long gamma-ray burst discovered? And what led to your involvement in studying it?

"We have what’s called gamma-ray burst monitors. They're a version of a telescope, but they're not like a long tube that you use to see visible light with your eyes. They're actually crystals that detect when they are hit by a gamma ray by fluorescing and sending out light. And so we could detect them that way.

In the consortium I run, there are about a dozen of these gamma ray detectors. They're all on different satellites. Most of them are around Earth, but some of them are much further out in our solar system.

We've automated most of our processes. The spacecraft itself will detect this event and report it to the community. All of that happens in like 30 seconds. In this case, our satellite had four different triggers spread over eight hours, and a member of the community pointed out that these events were coming from the same general area in the sky.

So, even before the last trigger, within a couple hours, we realized, oh, there's something really long happening here that we haven't really seen before."

Full story available here.

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Eric Burns

Associate Professor

Dr. Burns uses multidisciplinary research to understand how the universe works.

AstrophysicsNuclear ScienceGravitational WavesCosmic ExplosionsSupernova

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Jun 9, 2026

3 min

LSU Vet Med urges animal owners to be vigilant for New World screwworm

The LSU School of Veterinary Medicine is encouraging pet owners, livestock producers, horse owners, and veterinarians to remain vigilant following the recent detection of New World screwworm (NWS) confirmed cases in Texas and New Mexico. What is NWS? New World screwworm is a parasitic fly whose larvae, commonly known as maggots, feed on the living tissue of warm-blooded animals. Unlike most maggots that feed on dead tissue, screwworm larvae burrow into healthy flesh, causing painful wounds, severe infections, and, if left untreated, death. The pest can affect livestock, horses, wildlife, dogs, cats, and, in rare cases, people. Currently, there are no confirmed cases of New World screwworm in Louisiana, but awareness and early detection are critical. Animal owners should routinely inspect their animals for wounds and seek veterinary care immediately if they notice anything unusual. Government Response The U.S. Department of Agriculture and Texas animal health officials are actively responding to the detection through quarantines, surveillance, movement controls, and the release of sterile male screwworm flies to help stop the pest's spread. According to the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry, additional animal movement requirements are being implemented to reduce the risk of the pest entering Louisiana. These measures include enhanced health certificate requirements for certain animals entering the state from Texas, specifically lowering the validity of health certificates for animals entering Louisiana from 30 to seven days. Learn more at ldaf.la.gov. What to Look For Screwworm larvae most commonly enter through open wounds, surgical incisions, tick bites, the navels of newborn animals, or natural body openings such as the nose, ears, eyes, and genital regions. Animal owners should watch for: Wounds that fail to heal Bloody or foul-smelling discharge from wounds Visible maggots or egg masses in wounds or body openings Excessive licking, chewing, or irritation around a wound Signs of discomfort, depression, or reduced appetite There are currently no vaccines available to prevent New World screwworm. Rapid detection and response remain the most effective tools for preventing its spread. Diagnosis LSU Diagnostics (Louisiana Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory) is working with the Louisiana State Animal Health Officials (SAHO) for identification of all suspected cases. All confirmatory testing and reporting are being performed by the National Veterinary Services Laboratories, which will communicate results to the SAHO. What to Do if You Suspect NWS Animal owners who suspect New World screwworm should contact their veterinarian and the State Animal Health Official (SAHO) immediately at vetreports@ldaf.state.la.us or 225-925-3980. In Louisiana, the SAHO is Louisiana State Veterinarian Dr. Daniel Myrick (LSU 2001) with the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry. The public should be aware that New World screwworm does not affect the safety of the U.S. food supply. Federal inspection programs are designed to identify affected animals and prevent contaminated products from entering commerce. For more information about New World screwworm, visit Screwworm.gov or the LSU AgCenter webpage on NWS. About LSU Vet Med: Bettering lives through education, public service, and discovery The LSU School of Veterinary Medicine is one of only 33 veterinary schools in the U.S. and the only one in Louisiana. LSU Vet Med is dedicated to improving and protecting the lives of animals and people through superior education, transformational research, and compassionate care. We teach. We heal. We discover. We protect.

Mar 9, 2026

1 min

AI In Action Symposium

The AI In Action Symposium, hosted by the LSU E. J. Ourso College of Business, brings together expert voices at the heart of the AI revolution to explore how they have successfully navigated this evolving landscape. The 2026 symposium focuses on the practical implications of AI in business, including hiring AI-ready talent, ensuring responsible and ethical use, and exploring the challenges of implementing AI across both large enterprises and small startups. Speakers Attendees will hear from Louisiana leaders and national AI experts, including… Secretary Bruce Greenstein of the Louisiana Department of Health April Wiley, Senior Vice President at Community Coffee Robert Veit and Julian Tandler from Scale Team Six, a San Francisco-based business accelerator Dr. Tonya Jagneaux, who leads medical analytics at the Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health System (FMOLHS) Hunter Thevis, president and co-founder of Lafayette-based S1 Technology …and many more! Details March 20, 2026, 8:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Registration deadline is March 15. Held on the LSU A&M Campus, in the LSU Student Union Register at lsu.edu/business/ai-symposium Discount available for LSU System employees

Mar 2, 2026

2 min

War in Iran: Impact on Oil Prices

As global markets respond to escalating tensions in Iran, energy prices are once again at the center of international concern. For insight into what this conflict could mean for oil markets, consumers and the broader economy, media can turn to Greg Upton, executive director and associate research professor at the LSU Center for Energy Studies. An expert at the intersection of energy and environmental economics, Upton studies how geopolitical disruptions, supply constraints and policy decisions influence oil prices and downstream economic impacts. As instability in the Middle East threatens global supply chains, he can provide context on potential price volatility, implications for Louisiana’s energy sector and what higher crude prices may mean for gasoline costs and inflation in the United States. Upton has contributed to more than 40 academic publications and has presented his research to over 200 industry, government and academic audiences. He has testified before committees in both chambers of the Louisiana Legislature and a subcommittee of the U.S. House of Representatives. A frequent voice in national and local media, Upton has been quoted or cited more than 250 times, including by the The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, USA Today and NPR. In addition to his research, Upton teaches in LSU’s MBA program and in the Department of Economics and Environmental Sciences, helping prepare the next generation of leaders to navigate complex energy and environmental challenges. For timely, data-driven analysis on the impact of oil price fluctuations amid the ongoing conflict in Iran, Dr. Greg Upton is available for interviews and expert commentary.