Reuters Science News Summary

Nobre has studied the Amazon for decades and was an early proponent of the theory that rapid deforesation is pushing the world's largest rainforest toward a tipping point after which the biome could dry out into savanna. Britain, U.S. sign commercial spaceflight collaboration deal Britain and the United States have agreed to collaborate on future commercial spaceflight missions, boosting opportunities for firms from both countries to operate from spaceports in either, the British government said on Friday.

Following is a summary of current science news briefs.

Royal Society names climate scientist first Brazilian member since 1800s

The Royal Society scientific academy has elected climate scientist Carlos Nobre, a leading researcher studying the Amazon rainforest, as its first Brazilian member since the country's Emperor Dom Pedro II joined the group in the 1800s. Nobre has studied the Amazon for decades and was an early proponent of the theory that rapid deforesation is pushing the world's largest rainforest toward a tipping point after which the biome could dry out into savanna.

Britain, U.S. sign commercial spaceflight collaboration deal

Britain and the United States have agreed to collaborate on future commercial spaceflight missions, boosting opportunities for firms from both countries to operate from spaceports in either, the British government said on Friday. Britain said the partnership, signed by transport minister Grant Shapps and his U.S. counterpart Pete Buttigieg in Washington this week, would make spaceflight easier and cheaper.