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: 20-May-2026 15:16 ET (20-May-2026 19:16 GMT/UTC)
17-Apr-2026
Total solar eclipse led to seismic quiet for cities within its path
Seismological Society of AmericaMeeting Announcement
A seismic hush fell over U.S. and Canadian cities that were in the “path of totality” during the 8 April 2024 total solar eclipse, according to new research presented at the 2026 SSA Annual Meeting.
- Meeting
- 2026 Seismological Society of America Annual Meeting
17-Apr-2026
Environmental Grand Challenges: On the tools needed to meet them
Big Earth Data
A recent study in Big Earth Data presents a comprehensive roadmap for mitigating global Environmental Grand Challenges through the establishment of a robust Research and Innovation (R&I) ecosystem. Drawing on the ACCC concept, the authors demonstrate how integrating high-quality in-situ observations with climate expertise, science diplomacy, and industrial collaboration can provide actionable, scalable solutions for a carbon-neutral future.
- Journal
- Big Earth Data
17-Apr-2026
Giant Magellan Telescope and Coquimbo Regional Government sign strategic partnership to strengthen Chile’s astronomy industry
GMTO CorporationBusiness Announcement
The Giant Magellan Telescope and Coquimbo Regional Government Sign Strategic Partnership to Strengthen Chile’s Astronomy Industry
17-Apr-2026
Satellite data reveal hidden crop planting timelines
Journal of Remote SensingPeer-Reviewed Publication
A new satellite-based analytical framework enables accurate estimation of crop sowing and emergence dates at the field scale.
- Journal
- Journal of Remote Sensing
17-Apr-2026
A student-led experiment sets new limits in the search for axions
Sissa MedialabPeer-Reviewed Publication
In the era of precision cosmology, research often means big science: large observatories, highly complex instruments, international collaborations and substantial funding. Yet even in such an advanced field, progress is still possible — including in the search for elusive dark matter — through more agile approaches, driven by small teams and young researchers, supported by institutions and a good dose of ingenuity. In a paper just published in the Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics (JCAP), a group of then-undergraduate students from the University of Hamburg built a cavity detector to search for axions — among the most promising candidates for dark matter — and set new experimental limits on their properties. The result was achieved with relatively limited resources, showing that even small-scale experiments can make a meaningful contribution to one of the most open challenges in modern physics.
- Journal
- Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics