Dec 23 (Reuters) - South Korean satellite launch company Innospace on Monday launched the first commercial rocket from Brazil's Alcantara Space Center, a milestone for the firm and Brazilian aerospace

Innospace's rocket crashes in first commercial launch in Brazil; shares tumble

A long-awaited change in drug policy by President Donald Trump could bring scientists one step closer to understanding the harms and benefits of marijuana.

Cannabis reclassification could 'open the floodgates' for research, scientists say

We just got a great up-close look at a SpaceX Starlink satellite that recently suffered an anomaly in orbit, thanks to Vantor's WorldView-3 spacecraft.

Doomed SpaceX Starlink satellite photographed from orbit

Food and Drug Administration's approval of an oral version of Novo Nordisk's weight-loss drug Wegovy could potentially expand access to millions of patients and give the Danish company a much-needed fillip in the red-hot market. The first GLP-1 pill specifically for ​obesity, also branded as Wegovy, is a 25-mg oral formulation of semaglutide, the active ingredient in the blockbuster injectable version.

Explainer-What Novo Nordisk's weight-loss pill approval means for company, patients

Dec 23 () - The weight-loss drug market is surging, with biotech firms racing to win share in a sector dominated by Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly. Analysts forecast the industry will generate about $150 billion in annual sales in the next decade.

Factbox-Weight-loss drug developers line up to tap lucrative market as competition heats up

On Christmas Eve 1968, the Earth received a message from astronauts on a mission like no other - the first around the moon. NASA will return in 2026.

NASA's Apollo 8 moonshot saved 1968. Could Artemis 2 do the same in 2026?

The South Sandwich Islands were born from a tectonic collision, forged by volcanism and relentlessly reshaped by ice, wind and waves.

NASA satellite gazes into Medusa Pool | Space photo of the day for Dec. 24, 2025

2025 was another big year for black holes, and here's our pick of the top black hole stories from the last twelve months.

The biggest black hole breakthroughs of 2025

Fast solar wind and a possible glancing blow from a coronal mass ejection could spark auroras over Christmas.

Northern lights chances rise for Christmas as space weather remains unsettled

According to the patent, habitable modules would rotate around a central axis to simulate gravity for crew by producing an outward-pushing centrifugal force.

Russia patents space station designed to generate artificial gravity

Outside Earth's protection, space travellers will be routinely exposed.

Before trips to Mars, we need better protection from cosmic rays

3I/ATLAS may have moved away from Earth as it makes its way out of the solar system, but this interstellar intruder continues to delight and surprise astronomers.

Interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS reveals weird wobbling jets in rare sun-facing tail

Understanding what happens to Antarctica’s ice matters, because as it melts, sea levels rise, affecting lives and economies around the world.

Sea level doesn’t rise at the same rate everywhere – we mapped where Antarctica’s ice melt would have the biggest impact

Highlights from a cometary trio that captured our imaginations.

How 2025 became the year of comet: The rise of interstellar 3I/ATLAS, an icy Lemmon and a cosmic SWAN

Researchers studied fossils, well-preserved remains and even a single fingerprint to solve some of history’s long-standing mysteries this year.

Historical mysteries solved by science in 2025

The "America 250" logo commemorates the upcoming 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

Artemis 2 moon rocket gets 'America 250' paint job | Space photo of the day for Dec. 23, 2025

The first scientific balloon flight happened on Dec. 16, 2025.

NASA launches science balloon in Antarctica | Space photo of the day for Dec. 22, 2025

A bevy of comets, a "blood moon" total lunar eclipse and impressive northern lights were just three of the skywatching highlights in 2025. Here's how they unfolded.

10 times the sky amazed us in 2025

"I think every astronomer is going to find something of value here, as NASA's missions enable the world to answer fundamental questions about how the universe got its start, and how it changed to eventually create a home for us in it."

NASA's SPHEREx telescope completes its 1st cosmic map of the entire sky and it's stunning!

Atmospheric rivers are massive plumes of moisture carried across the sky that can dump heavy rains or snow over land.  Here’s a look at the phenomenon:  Where do atmospheric rivers come from?  Atmospheric rivers generally form in tropical regions, where warm temperatures can cause water vapor to rise into the atmosphere, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

What's an atmospheric river? AP explains the weather phenomenon

A picture of what West Antarctica looked like when its ice sheet melted in the past can offer insight into the continent’s future as the climate warms.

West Antarctica’s history of rapid melting foretells sudden shifts in continent’s ‘catastrophic’ geology

A sampling of aging Sun-like stars demonstrates that they likely eat their closest planets.

Planet-eating stars hint at Earth's ultimate fate

Over the past 12 months, we saw multiple spaceflight records broken, the debut of a powerful new rocket and the first-ever fully successful private moon landing.

Starship success, a private moon landing and more: The top 10 spaceflight stories of 2025

Today marks the shortest day and longest night of the year as the sun reaches its lowest point in the Northern Hemisphere sky.

Winter solstice 2025 marks the shortest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere today

German engineer Michaela Benthaus is the first person with a significant physical handicap to reach space.

Blue Origin safely launches wheelchair user to space and back

Michi Benthaus traveled into space aboard Blue Origin’s NS-37 mission, becoming the first wheelchair user to blast past the Kármán Line.

She just became the first wheelchair user to travel to space

A photographer in Italy captured an ultra-rare elve and red sprite flashing above the Alps in a single breathtaking moment.

2 of Earth's rarest lightning phenomena captured simultaneously in once-in-a-lifetime photo

"The sheer amount of radiated energy from these bursts is so large that you can't power them with a core collapse stellar explosion — or any other type of normal stellar explosion."

Mysterious bright blue cosmic blasts triggered by black holes shredding stars, scientists say. 'It's definitely not just an exploding star.'

"Virgil has two personalities, its 'good' side – a typical young galaxy quietly forming stars. But Virgil transforms into the host of a heavily obscured supermassive black hole, pouring out immense quantities of energy."

James Webb Space Telescope watches 'Jekyll and Hyde' galaxy shapeshift into a cosmic monster

NASA's Perseverance Mars rover could break the record for miles driven on another planet

Interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS will make its closest approach to Earth on Friday. New X-ray images could shed light on its composition.

Interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS will fly by Earth Friday. Here are the latest images

An ancient woman thought to have hailed from sub-Saharan Africa and therefore to have been the first known Black Briton actually had fairer skin and was from southern England, researchers using new DNA sequencing have found.

Story of ‘first Black Briton’ rewritten by advances in ancient DNA technology

3I/ATLAS has now made its closest approach to the sun and Earth and is now heading back out toward the outer solar system.

Farewell, comet 3I/ATLAS! Interstellar visitor heads for the outer solar system after its closest approach to Earth

Astrophotographer Josh Dury has captured the beauty of the Geminids in this stunning timelapse exposure.

Science