Space jam: astronomers detect ‘raspberry sugar’ on dust cloud in Milky Way | Science

• Astronomers have detected glycolaldehyde, a simple sugar molecule also found in raspberries, within the interstellar clouds of gas and dust between stars. • The discovery was made using specialized telescopes to analyze the chemical composition of space, identifying the sugar's unique spectral signature.

• The FCC has granted Reflect Orbital permission to launch its first light-directing space mirror into orbit later this year. • This initial launch serves as a demonstration of the company's technology, which aims to provide a transformative and clean communication solution.

• Astronomers have detected erythrulose, a type of sugar also found in raspberries, within interstellar space. • The discovery identifies the presence of this specific organic molecule in the vast regions located between stars.

• The FCC has granted a start-up company permission to test a space mirror designed to reflect solar rays onto Earth's dark side. • The project aims to illuminate a three-mile-wide patch of land, effectively turning night into day for that specific area.

• The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) released proposed rules in May to modify the US Code of Federal Regulations regarding federal financial assistance and grants. • These changes would undermine the long-standing scientific peer review process by codifying the ability of political appointees to oversee and influence award decisions.

• Science journalist Roberta Kwok has released a new book titled "Lost in Curiosity," which explores the complex and often chaotic process of scientific discovery. • The narrative provides a behind-the-scenes look at how researchers work to uncover nature's secrets, highlighting the human elements of the scientific method.

• Astronauts aboard the Artemis II mission used a commercial Nikon Z9 camera to capture high-resolution images of space. • Researchers, including co-author Ko Arimatsu, analyzed these images to extract scientifically valuable astronomical data.

• The White House has appointed Harvard astrophysicist Avi Loeb to lead a new government study group focused on unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAPs), commonly known as UFOs. • Loeb intends to apply the same scientific rigor and unbiased analysis to the study of UAPs as he does in his established field of astrophysics.

• NASA's agency chief confirmed the capture of unexplained UFO imagery and stated his belief that "there's life everywhere" in the cosmos. • The agency revealed ambitious future plans to explore and "invade" other worlds to further investigate extraterrestrial life.

• Astronomers from the University of California, Irvine, have updated their findings on an exoplanet located just 25 light years from Earth. • A new study published in The Astrophysical Journal reveals the planet is significantly smaller than previously estimated, possessing roughly twice the mass of Earth.

• Environmental and scientific organizations are calling for mandatory federal environmental reviews of proposed space-based data center projects. • Critics argue that deploying potentially millions of orbiting data centers without oversight is "reckless" and irresponsible.