Science News Roundup: China launches second space station module, Wentian; Ruwani becomes the third elephant to die from herpes virus at Zurich Zoo

Following is a summary of current science news briefs. China launches second space station module, Wentian China on Sunday launched the second of three modules to its permanent space station, in one of the final missions needed to complete the orbiting outpost by year's end.

Following is a summary of current science news briefs.

China launches second space station module, Wentian

China on Sunday launched the second of three modules to its permanent space station, in one of the final missions needed to complete the orbiting outpost by year's end. A live feed on state broadcaster CCTV showed the 23-tonne Wentian ("Quest for the Heavens") laboratory module launching on the back of China's most powerful rocket, the Long March 5B, at 2:22 p.m. (0622 GMT) from the Wenchang Space Launch Center on the southern island of Hainan.

Ruwani becomes the third elephant to die from herpes virus at Zurich Zoo

Another elephant has died at Zurich Zoo from the herpes virus, the park said on Saturday, the third to die there from the condition since the end of June. Ruwani, a five-year-old elephant cow, died on Saturday morning after succumbing to Elephant Endotheliotropic Herpesvirus (EEHV), a condition carried latently by nearly all elephants.