Gamma-ray bursts from extragalactic radio pulsars

It is argued here that the recent BATSE results on the distribution of gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) does not require the abandonment of the isolated neutron stars model in which most of the bursts have a magnetospheric origin. It is demonstrated that GRBs may be produced on relatively young radio pulsars residing in galaxies out to a redshift of about 2.5, consistent with the cosmological hypothesis. These sources may therefore be beacons that trace galactic evolution.