Science News Roundup: NASA human spaceflight chief resigns; Monkey studies encouraging for COIVD vaccine and more

Following is a summary of current science news briefs.

NASA human spaceflight chief resigns ahead of launch

NASA's human spaceflight chief Doug Loverro has resigned, according to an internal memo seen by agency employees on Tuesday, just a week before the agency is scheduled to launch two astronauts into space from U.S. soil for the first time since 2011. The resignation capped Loverro's brief role at the agency overseeing future astronaut launches and landing humans on the moon by 2024.

Monkey studies encouraging for coronavirus vaccine; virus travels further on breezy days

The following is a brief roundup of some of the latest scientific studies on the novel coronavirus and efforts to find treatments and vaccines for COVID-19, the illness caused by the virus. Monkeys who survive coronavirus infection immune to reinfection.

For the first time, scientists spot an alien planet as it is being formed

Astronomers have gazed into what appears to be a planetary maternity ward, observing for the first time within a huge disk of dense gas and dust surrounding a newly formed star a planet in the process of being born. This large young planet is forming around a star called AB Aurigae that is about 2.4 times the mass of the sun and located in our Milky Way galaxy 520 light-years from Earth, researchers said on Wednesday. A light-year is the distance light travels in a year, 5.9 trillion miles (9.5 trillion km).

(With inputs from agencies.)