The U.S. Space & Rocket Center in Huntsville was once again the top admission-charged tourism attraction in Alabama last year.

More than 625,000 people visited the space destination in 2014. The Birmingham Zoo (574,581 visitors) and Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail (568,427) were also top attractions in 2014, according to figures released this week by the Alabama Tourism Department.

The Birmingham Botanical Gardens was the most-visited free attraction with 350,000 visitors, followed by the Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts (159,263) and Birmingham Museum of Art (139,111).

Southern Research Institute of Birmingham, a long-established scientific and engineering research organization, announced a new brand identity on Tuesday that the non-profit hopes will better highlight the size and scope of its work, especially as it proceeds with several new programs and partnerships. 

Now identifying itself primarily as Southern Research, the organization -- founded in the Magic City in 1941 -- is rolling out a "refreshed" corporate logo, message and design, according to its news release on Tuesday. 

A redesign of the web site is forthcoming. 

Tokyo-based Dai-ichi Life Insurance Co. announced it would acquire Protective Life Corp. for $5.7 billion in June, and the companies announced the merger had been completed this week.

The merger makes Protective Life a wholly owned subsidiary of Dai-ichi. The merger makes the company the world's 13th largest insurance company, with total assets of $424 billion.