Short gamma-ray bursts and the strongest magnetic fields in the Universe

Short gamma-ray bursts are highly energetic flashes of gamma rays lasting less than two seconds. They are most likely produced by the merger of two neutron stars in a binary system and are among the most dramatic events observed in the Universe. Despite decades of scientific progress the detailed physical processes that generate these bursts still remain elusive. Recent numerical simulations on supercomputers, however, play a vital role in unraveling the nature of these bursts.