Northwestern University engineers demonstrated quantum teleportation over standard fibre optic cable that already carries everyday internet traffic, said a report. Quantum teleportation allows transfer of quantum information instantly and over any distance without needing any future technology. "This is incredibly exciting...nobody thought it was possible," said Prem Kumar, who led the research.

NASA confirmed on Friday that its Parker Solar Probe is safe after completing the closest-ever approach to the Sun. The spacecraft passed just 6.1 million km from the solar surface on December 24, entering the corona. Moving at 6,92,000 kmph, it endured extreme temperatures and is expected to send detailed telemetry data on January 1.

Weight regains after successful weight loss is a paradoxical problem for many individuals, and recent studies point out that this is due to epigenetic obesogenic memory in tissues and cells. While we continue to adopt existing weight management practices, future research should focus to erase or diminish this obesogenic memory.

The European Space Agency shared a picture on X and wrote, "Step into the end of the year with this picturesque 'winter wonderland' scene at the south pole of Mars, captured by our Mars Express." "Here, swirls of carbon dioxide ice and dust layers wrap around the scene, turning the red planet white," the space agency said.

NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore, stationed at the ISS since June, celebrated Christmas. Williams and Wilmore wore red T-shirt and Santa hat respectively, a gesture that fuelled social media speculation with people questioning if they knew they'd have a prolonged stay at ISS. NASA clarified that Christmas items were delivered in November as part of SpaceX supply mission.

NASA's Parker Solar Probe made its closest-ever approach to Sun on Tuesday, going nearer to Sun than any other human-made object in history. The spacecraft flew within 62,12,068 km of the solar surface, flying by at about 6,92,018 kmph, according to NASA. Mission controllers will have to wait for about three days to pick up signal from the spacecraft.

NASA has shared a picture of a cluster of stars along with Chandra data forming a 'Christmas tree' in space. It said the cluster, named NGC 2264, is between one and five million years old. "In this image of NGC 2264...Chandra data (red, purple, blue, and white) has been combined with optical data (green and violet)," the space agency added.

Russian scientists have revealed the remains of a 50,000-year-old baby mammoth found in Siberia's Yakutia region. The female mammoth, nicknamed 'Yana', is said to be the "best-preserved" mammoth carcass ever found. Yana, which weighs more than 100 kg and is 120 cm tall and 200 cm long, is believed to have been about one year old when it died.

A recent study has linked weight loss drug Ozempic with an increased risk of blindness. The research, published in JAMA Ophthalmology, found that users of Ozempic and Wegovy, which contain semaglutide, could cause NAION, a rare eye disorder caused by reduced blood flow to optic nerve. NAION, the second leading cause of optic nerve blindness, currently has no effective cure.

NASA's Parker Solar Probe is set to fly closer to the sun than any spacecraft before. On Tuesday, the probe will pass within a record 3.8 million miles of the sun's surface, zooming into its scorching atmosphere. Mission managers won't, however, know how Parker fared until days after the flyby since the spacecraft will be out of communication range.