Spain's good news

Last month finally brought good news for science in Spain. Newly elected prime minister Pedro Sanchez named Spanish astronaut and aeronautical engineer Pedro Duque as head of a new Ministry for Science, Innovation, and Universities. This will hopefully put Spanish research and development (R&D) back on the country's political agenda after two legislatures in which science languished under the Ministry of Economy. Given the minority position of the ruling party in both chambers of Congress, Duque will face extraordinary challenges to increase the budget. But the creation of this new ministry is an encouraging first step.