The Federal Aviation Administration has cleared Virgin Galactic to return to spaceflight operations after concluding an investigation into the company's July trip to suborbital space, Virgin Galactic said in a statement Wednesday.
Why it matters: The high-profile flight, carrying billionaire Richard Branson, was seen as a step forward for the company to begin commercial services in the near future.
The Fish and Wildlife Service announced Wednesday that 22 animals and one plant native to the United States are now extinct and should be removed from the endangered species list after exhausting efforts to find evidence that they are still alive.
Why it matters: After existing for an untold number of years, the species will likely never appear on the planet again, largely because of human-caused habitat destruction and climate change.
Hospitals saw a lot fewer patients and yet a lot more death in the early part of the pandemic, according to new federal data.
The big picture: Hospitals called off less-urgent procedures to keep beds open for COVID-19 patients, but health care workers dealt with tidal waves of death from a dangerous virus that was running rampant — similar to what some areas are experiencing all over again.
Pfizer announced Monday that it is testing an oral antiviral drug that would help prevent COVID-19.
Why it matters: This drug is one of several antiviral pills that could have a massive impact on coronavirus treatment since not everyone will get a vaccine, and it may take years to fully vaccinate people in certain countries, per Axios' Alison Snyder.
