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

This May brings a rare celestial treat, two full moons in one month! We’re exploring the science of space and how astronomy connects us through curiosity, discovery, and a shared wonder for what lies beyond.

Latest News Releases

Updates every hour. Last Updated: 10-May-2026 14:15 ET (10-May-2026 18:15 GMT/UTC)

21-Apr-2026

 

Mars rover detects never-before-seen organic compounds in new experiment

University of Florida
Peer-Reviewed Publication

The Curiosity Mars rover detected many organic compounds, including ones not seen before on the red planet, such as nitrogen- and sulfur-bearing molecules similar to the building blocks of life on Earth.

Journal

Nature Communications

Funder

NASA Headquarters

21-Apr-2026

   

The edge of the Milky Way's star-forming disc revealed

University of Malta
Peer-Reviewed Publication

How far the Milky Way's disc extends has long been difficult to define — it doesn't end sharply, but fades away gradually at its outer edges. Now, for the first time, an international team of astronomers has identified the edge of the Milky Way's star-forming disc by studying the ages of stars, revealing that the bulk of our Galaxy's star formation occurs within 40,000 light-years of the Galactic Centre.

Journal

Astronomy and Astrophysics

21-Apr-2026

 

From classroom to Mars: European students return from six-day analog space mission

International Science Council Committee on Space Research
Business Announcement

Nine high school students from Austria, Greece, and Portugal have emerged from a specially designed habitat near Monsaraz, Portugal, marking the successful completion of EXPLORE-2—a six-day simulated Mars mission that placed young Europeans in the shoes of analog astronauts.

Funder

Erasmus+