Brian May received a surprise honour for his environmental and conservation work as Starmus opened in Santa Cruz de Tenerife last night, Saturday 17th October.
The Queen guitarist and astrophysicist was presented with a Jane Goodall Earth Medal during the ceremony at the capital’s port, adding an unexpected moment to the evening.
May was recognised for helping give wildlife a voice and supporting rescued animals in sanctuaries across the UK. Climate campaigner Christiana Figueres also received the medal, presented by members of Goodall’s family.
The award was a complete surprise to May. Originally, the festival had only publicly announced the medal for Costa Rican climate leader Christiana Figueres. As a co-founder of the Starmus Festival himself, Brian May admitted he was completely overwhelmed, joking that he never expected to receive the honour while working alongside Jane Goodall on the actual design of the medal.
Music meets space exploration
Hosted by Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield, the opening brought together Andrea Bocelli, Sarah Brightman, and May, accompanied by the Orquesta Sinfónica de Las Palmas.
Three Artemis II astronauts — Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover and Jeremy Hansen — collected the Stephen Hawking Medal for Science Communication. Their message centred on cooperation, hope and caring for Earth.
The festival continues across Tenerife and La Palma until 22nd October, with full details and tickets available on the Starmus website.
