NASA's Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory re-entered Earth's atmosphere on 4 Nov at 7:39 a.m. EST over northern Sumatra, according to U.S. Space Force data cited by satellite tracker Jonathan McDowell. The roughly 1,450 kg spacecraft, launched in 2004, operated for 22 years studying gamma-ray bursts, far beyond its planned two-year mission. Its final science observation was on 20 Oct, after its orbit had decayed. A July rescue attempt by Katalyst Space failed, and NASA says most of the craft burned up, with surviving fragments confined to latitudes between 20.6° S and 20.6° N.
Maryland
3 stories since 31 October 2026, newest first
4 November 2026
1 November 2026
A study by researchers at Michigan, Harvard, Columbia and Maryland links employment records to voter files for 30 million workers at 377,000 employers. Workers who moved to a higher-scoring employer became 3.5 percentage points more likely to vote, according to the researchers. Those who moved from an employer at the 25th percentile to one at the 75th became 5.8 percentage points more likely to vote. The study tracked 8 million people who changed jobs to account for selection bias, and the researchers say the effects hold across political affiliations.
31 October 2026
Diesel-range hydrocarbons are still entering Piscataway Creek at Joint Base Andrews in Prince George's County, Maryland, more than seven months after the leak was reported, water testing has found. Lawmakers say about 32,000 gallons of jet fuel leaked earlier this year, with roughly 22,000 gallons reaching the environment. The Maryland Department of the Environment was not told until 23 March and did not receive the full extent of the discharge until 8 April. The base has not yet identified the source of the leak, which has frustrated regulators and slowed cleanup. The creek links to the Potomac River near Fort Washington Park.