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: 4-Jun-2026 00:17 ET (4-Jun-2026 04:17 GMT/UTC)

21-Apr-2026

 

Light-powered propulsion expands space exploration possibilities

Texas A&M University
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Researchers in the J. Mike Walker ’66 Department of Mechanical Engineering at Texas A&M University have demonstrated a new approach to light-driven motion, showing that lasers can be used to lift and steer objects in multiple directions without physical contact. This breakthrough may one day enable travel to Alpha Centauri within roughly 20 years.

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+