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: 29-Jul-2025 00:11 ET (29-Jul-2025 04:11 GMT/UTC)
Cosmic mystery deepens as astronomers find object flashing in both radio waves and X-rays
International Centre for Radio Astronomy ResearchPeer-Reviewed Publication
- Journal
- Nature
SwRI scientists contribute to uncovering ongoing surface modification on Jupiter’s moon Europa
Southwest Research InstitutePeer-Reviewed Publication
- Journal
- The Planetary Science Journal
The Second International Conference on Space Science and Technology opens grandly in Suzhou!
Beijing Institute of Technology Press Co., LtdMeeting Announcement
- Meeting
- The Second International Conference on Space Science and Technology
Politecnico di Milano returns to deep space - 2028 mission to earth-grazing asteroid Apophis
Politecnico di MilanoBusiness Announcement
The mini satellite will collect close-up data and test autonomous technologies ahead of the asteroid’s close flyby of Earth in 2029.
‘Pinballs in a cosmic arcade’: New study suggests how wide-orbit planets form, supporting existence of Planet Nine
Rice UniversityPeer-Reviewed Publication
In the cold, dark outskirts of planetary systems far beyond the reach of the known planets, mysterious gas giants and planetary masses silently orbit their stars — sometimes thousands of astronomical units (AU) away. For years, scientists have puzzled over how these “wide-orbit” planets, including the elusive Planet Nine theorized in our own solar system, could have formed. Now, a team of astronomers may have finally found the answer. In a new study published in Nature Astronomy, researchers from Rice University and the Planetary Science Institute used complex simulations to show that wide-orbit planets are not anomalies but rather natural by-products of a chaotic early phase in planetary system development.
- Journal
- Nature Astronomy