Delhi is exploring cloud seeding as a potential solution to combat its severe air pollution crisis. The technique involves inducing rainfall to wash away pollutants, but its effectiveness and long-term impact are debated among scientists. While it may offer temporary relief, experts emphasize the need for sustainable solutions addressing the root causes of pollution.

SpaceX's latest Starship test flight saw a partial success as the Super Heavy booster missed its landing on the launch tower and splashed down in the Gulf of Mexico. However, the Starship upper stage successfully landed in the Indian Ocean.

Elon Musk and President-elect Donald Trump showcased their alliance during Trump's visit to SpaceX's facility. Despite a Starship rocket booster failing to return to the launchpad, the event underscored their deepening relationship. Musk's influence within Trump's circle is evident through his advisory roles and presence at key events. This alliance carries significant implications for American politics, governance, and space exploration.

SpaceX achieved a global milestone by launching three Falcon 9 rockets in 20 hours, including one carrying India's advanced communication satellite, GSAT-20. This marked SpaceX's 112th, 113th, and 114th launches of the year. The GSAT-20, weighing 4,700kg, was launched from Cape Canaveral and will significantly enhance India's broadband connectivity.

India turned to SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket to launch its GSAT-N2 communication satellite due to the heavier payload exceeding the capabilities of ISRO's current launch vehicles, said ex-Isro chiefs. While Isro is working on enhancing its launch capacity, the 4,700 kg satellite required a more powerful rocket, highlighting the need for increased capabilities to handle future heavy payloads.

Scientists aboard the Coast Guard Cutter Healy have discovered a large underwater volcano approximately 1,600 meters beneath the surface off the coast of Alaska. The team, including experts from NOAA, detected a potential gas plume rising from the volcanic formation. While the discovery is significant, experts believe the volcano poses no immediate threat to nearby ecosystems or human activities due to its considerable depth.

Scientists have discovered a new species of penguin from fossils found in New Zealand. The penguin, named Pakudyptes hakataramea, lived around 24 million years ago. This small penguin, only about a foot tall, had a unique blend of ancient and modern features. Researchers believe that studying its fossils will help us understand how penguins evolved their distinctive wings for swimming.

NASA is developing the Lunar South Pole Oxygen Pipeline (L-SPoP) to revolutionize lunar exploration. This innovative pipeline will transport oxygen extracted from lunar resources to support human missions under the Artemis program. By utilizing in-situ materials and robotic construction, L-SPoP aims to reduce costs, risks, and reliance on Earth-based supplies, paving the way for a sustainable lunar presence.

The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has discovered three massive galaxies, dubbed ed monsters, that challenge current theories of galaxy formation. These galaxies, formed just one billion years after the Big Bang, are far larger and more evolved than expected, suggesting that galaxies may have formed much faster in the early universe than previously thought.

Humanity's exploration of outer space continues to unveil astonishing discoveries that challenge our understanding of the cosmos. From the immense size of the universe, with more stars than grains of sand on Earth, to the bizarre phenomena like cold welding and the existence of a gigantic reservoir of water vapor, space remains a realm of endless wonder and mystery.