Why do scientists study gamma-ray bursts?

Scientists are understandably excited about gamma-ray bursts. They are among the brightest sources in the sky in any wavelength region. They may come from the most distant reaches of our Galaxy or they may represent an entirely new type of object near the edge of the observable Universe. If the former is true, then we are seeing something in the distant parts of the Galaxy that is presently unobservable by any other means. If the latter is true, then gamma-ray bursts could help us to understand the form and evolution of the Universe as a whole; they would be a new observational tool for cosmologists. Either way, the resolution of the mystery of 'What is the source of a gamma-ray burst?' will result in a major breakthrough for astronomy.