The earliest estimates are that a successful, viable coronavirus vaccine could make it to the finish line and be ready for introduction into the general population by the end of this year. Change wouldn’t happen overnight in terms of an impact on the coronavirus pandemic, however. Getting everyone vaccinated will represent a major logistical challenge. Even so, there are concerns that a coronavirus vaccine won’t even work or will provide little protection to at least one group of people — the obese. For the nearly 19 million people around the world who’ve contracted Covid-19 thus far during the coronavirus pandemic,…

WhatsApp has been clamping down forwarded messages for years, but its work still isn’t complete. Today, the platform announced a new feature that lets users search the web for more info about frequently forwarded messages. Already, messages forwarded more than five times are labeled with a double arrow icon. Now, a magnifying glass will appear next to those messages too. If a user clicks the magnifying glass, their browser will open to news results or other info about the content they received. To maintain privacy, WhatsApp will never see the message itself. For now, this feature is a pilot. It’s…

Two NASA astronauts returned to Earth on Sunday in a dramatic, retro-style splashdown, their capsule parachuting into the Gulf of Mexico to close out an unprecedented test flight by Elon Musk’s SpaceX company. It was the first splashdown by U.S. astronauts in 45 years, with the first commercially built and operated spacecraft to carry people to and from orbit. The return clears the way for another SpaceX crew launch as early as next month and possible tourist flights next year. Test pilots Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken rode the SpaceX Dragon capsule back to Earth less than a day after…

For decades the challenge of creating artificial meat has occupied scientists, tech entrepreneurs and food aficionados. Billions has been spent trying to produce laboratory-grown burgers, steaks and bacon that satisfy carnivores while limiting the environmental damage of industrial farming. Now it is the turn of the chicken nugget. The American fast-food chain KFC says it is building the world’s first lab-grown chicken nuggets, joining an increasing menu of artificial meats. The skill with which foods are being recreated in the lab has meant that people are already accustomed to eating vegetarian burgers that “bleed” like real meat. Fake beef that…