Science News Roundup: Childhood vaccine linked to less severe COVID-19, cigarette smoke raises risk and more

Operations at the observatory, one of the largest in the world, were halted in August when one of its supportive cables slipped loose from its socket, falling and gashing a 100-foot-long (30 meter) hole in its 1,000-foot wide reflector dish.

Following is a summary of current science news briefs.

Childhood vaccine linked to less severe COVID-19, cigarette smoke raises risk

The following is a 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.

Childhood vaccine may help prevent severe COVID-19 On brink of collapse, famed Puerto Rico space telescope to close down

The U.S. National Science Foundation on Thursday announced it will close down the massive space telescope at Puerto Rico's Arecibo Observatory, ending 57 years of astronomical discoveries after suffering two destructive mishaps in recent months. Operations at the observatory, one of the largest in the world, were halted in August when one of its supportive cables slipped loose from its socket, falling and gashing a 100-foot-long (30 meter) hole in its 1,000-foot wide reflector dish.

(With inputs from agencies.)