A rare 2026 story of good news for the planet. blubird/Shutterstock Today, NASA completed the ceremonial handoff of a parcel of land known as Area 400 near its Goddard Space Flight Center campus in Maryland. The region is now officially part of the Patuxent Research Refuge, managed by the US Fish and Wildlife Service. "For over six decades, NASA Goddard has helped shape humanity's understanding of Earth," said Jamie Dunn, NASA Goddard's center director. "We're glad to present this land to our colleagues in the Fish and Wildlife Service, whose conservation and research helps do the real legwork in preserving our Blue Marble for future generations." Area 400 contains 103 acres that NASA previously used for propellant research. With those tasks shifting to other facilities and partners, it ha