EurekAlert! In the Spotlight - Global Astronomy Month

Welcome to In the Spotlight, where each month we shine a light on something exciting, timely, or simply fascinating from the world of science.

In honor of Global Astronomy Month, we’re exploring the science of space. Learn how astronomy connects us through curiosity, discovery, and a shared wonder for what lies beyond.

Latest News Releases

Updates every hour. Last Updated: 24-Dec-2025 13:11 ET (24-Dec-2025 18:11 GMT/UTC)

New five-axis machining method boosts industrial productivity and paves way for smarter manufacturing

Tsinghua University Press

Five-axis machining plays a pivotal role in manufacturing complex industrial components. In a recent study, researchers introduced a surface-partitioning and iso-scallop field-based strategy tailored for non-spherical cutting tools. By adaptively dividing machining surfaces and generating smooth tool orientations, the method significantly shortens tool paths, reduces machining time, and improves surface quality. This breakthrough not only enhances industrial productivity but also provides a foundation for integrating intelligent optimization in smart manufacturing.

Journal: Chinese Journal of Aeronautics

Chemists find clues to the origins of buckyballs in space

University of Colorado at Boulder
Peer-Reviewed Publication

A new study led by space chemist Jordy Bouwman may reveal a missing link in how certain organic molecules form in outer space. They include buckminsterfullerine, sometimes known as the "buckyball," a molecule that bears a striking resemblance to a soccer ball.

Journal: Journal of the American Chemical Society

Dark matter does not defy gravity

Université de Genève
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Does dark matter follow the same laws as ordinary matter? The mystery of this invisible and hypothetical component of our Universe — which neither emits nor reflects light — remains unsolved. A team involving members from the University of Geneva (UNIGE) set out to determine whether, on a cosmological scale, this matter behaves like ordinary matter or whether other forces come into play. Their findings, published in Nature Communications, suggest a similar behaviour, while leaving open the possibility of an as-yet-unknown interaction. This breakthrough sheds a little more light on the properties of this elusive matter, which is five times more abundant than ordinary matter.

Journal: Nature Communications

Annual symposium pushes the UW, and Seattle, to forefront of space diplomacy

University of Washington

The 2025 Space Diplomacy Symposium at the University of Washington will be held on Nov. 7. The annual symposium, which brings together experts from across the world, aims to center diplomacy in civilian, commercial and military space activities.

Muscle tissue from a 3D printer – produced in zero gravity

ETH Zurich
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Human health is the Achilles heel of space travel. Researchers at ETH Zurich have now succeeded in printing complex muscle tissue in zero gravity, via parabolic flight experiments. Their work paves the way for beyond-Earth health solutions and testing for future space missions.

Journal: Advanced Science

New image captures spooky bat signal in the sky

ESO
Reports and Proceedings

A spooky bat has been spotted flying over the European Southern Observatory’s (ESO’s) Paranal site in Chile, right in time for Halloween. Thanks to its wide field of view, the VLT Survey Telescope (VST) was able to capture this large cloud of cosmic gas and dust, whose mesmerising appearance resembles the silhouette of a bat.

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