Reuters Science News Summary

Following is a summary of current science news briefs.

Swiss glaciers lose more than ​5% of ice after record heatwave

Swiss glaciers are shrinking ​rapidly after suffering one of their worst ‌years of ​ice loss during a record-breaking European heatwave. Switzerland's glaciers lost more than 5% of their ice in 2026, a report by the Swiss Glacier Monitoring Network (GLAMOS) and the Swiss ‌Commission for Cryosphere Observation of the Swiss Academy of Sciences showed on Thursday.

Varda raises $250 million at $1.6 billion valuation to scale orbital drug manufacturing

In-space manufacturing startup Varda Space has raised $250 million in a Series D round at a $1.6 billion valuation, the company told Reuters, as ‌it ramps up missions to produce pharmaceuticals in microgravity. El Segundo-based Varda is one of a handful of US companies building ‌a fleet of uncrewed space capsules that can function as orbital laboratories or manufacturing platforms for products whose development in space yields better efficiencies or purities than in the gravity of Earth.

Butterfly wing patterns may trick predators with motion illusions

When a bird lunges at a butterfly in mid-flight, it may see something ⁠that is ​not there — the insect's wings ⁠flashing beneath may not be moving where they appear to be moving. By the time the predator realizes the illusion, the butterfly already may have escaped. Researchers ⁠studying this natural defence have found that contrasting wing patterns can work together with wing movements to create misleading motion signals, making it harder ​for predators to judge a butterfly's speed and direction during flight.

SpaceX launches 13th long-duration astronaut crew to International Space Station

A ⁠SpaceX rocket lifted off from Florida on Thursday with a crew of two US astronauts, a Canadian astronaut and a Russian cosmonaut headed to the ⁠International ​Space Station for a science mission devoted to human health and performance in orbit. The two-stage Falcon 9 rocket, topped with an autonomously operated Crew Dragon capsule carrying the four-member crew, was launched from the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, along Florida's Atlantic ⁠Coast.

France's HyPrSpace targets 100 'Baguette One' rocket engines a year in debut factory

HyPrSpace has opened its first mass production factory in France, ⁠it said on Thursday, targeting ⁠100 rocket engines a year as the French space startup gears up for a planned test flight next year. HyPrSpace is one of several European space startups seeking to capitalise on growing ‌demand and falling costs ‌of space launches, with governments and commercial operators worldwide planning to ​put thousands of satellites into orbit.