Sharmila Kuthunur is an independent space journalist based in Bengaluru, India. Her work has also appeared in Scientific American, Science, Astronomy and Live Science, among other publications. She holds a master's degree in journalism from Northeastern University in Boston.
Latest articles by Sharmila Kuthunur

By Sharmila Kuthunur Published
These long-term observations can also help scientists study exoplanets with similar traits.

By Sharmila Kuthunur Published
NASA's Parker Solar Probe has successfully completed its second science-gathering flyby of the sun, the space agency announced earlier this week.

By Sharmila Kuthunur Published
NASA's Perseverance rover has encountered another rock on Mars that has left scientists puzzled.

By Sharmila Kuthunur Published
The cosmic pinwheel that astronomers feared could one day shower Earth with lethal gamma rays may not be as dangerous as once thought.

By Sharmila Kuthunur Published
Two nearby explosive massive star deaths, or supernovas, may have triggered mass extinction events in Earth's distant past, new research suggests.

By Sharmila Kuthunur Published
The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has directly imaged four planets orbiting the host star HR 8799 about 130 light-years from Earth in the constellation Pegasus.

By Sharmila Kuthunur Published
A rock on Mars that may hold clues about ancient microbial life on the Red Planet continues to puzzle scientists.

By Monisha Ravisetti, Sharmila Kuthunur Published
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"From our perspective down in the trenches actually working for the government, it feels like the people up top just have no clue about anything."

By Sharmila Kuthunur Published
"We were surprised that water could actually form so early on — even before the birth of the first galaxies."

By Sharmila Kuthunur last updated
After more than a week of delays, two new NASA missions have gotten the greenlight to head to space tonight (March 8).

By Sharmila Kuthunur Published
This week, geologists announced they discovered the world's oldest known impact crater. It's in Western Australia's ancient Pilbara region.

By Sharmila Kuthunur Published
Higher latitudes on the moon with slopes facing the poles "are not only scientifically interesting but also pose less technical challenges for exploration in comparison with regions closer to the poles of the moon."

By Sharmila Kuthunur Published
India's Aditya-L1 spacecraft captured detailed observations of a powerful solar flare last year, helping scientists better understand our star's eruptions.

By Sharmila Kuthunur Published
A modest NASA space telescope with grand ambitions will soon launch into an orbit around Earth. Here's why scientists are excited about it.

By Sharmila Kuthunur Published
NASA's Europa Clipper will fly past Mars today to adjust its trajectory and position itself for a critical phase of its 1.8-billion-mile (2.9-billion-kilometer) trek to the Jupiter system.

By Sharmila Kuthunur Published
"Everyone in the United States relies on NOAA in their daily lives whether they realize it or not, something that will come into focus for many in the weeks and months ahead."

By Sharmila Kuthunur Published
Astronauts in isolated space habitats could benefit from the intentional fostering of diverse microbes from humanity's evolutionary past, a new study suggests.

By Sharmila Kuthunur Published
Scientists aim to answer some of the most fundamental questions about the universe using NASA's newest space telescope, SPHEREx, which is set to launch March 4.

By Sharmila Kuthunur Published
"Every centimeter of sea level rise exposes another 2 million people to annual flooding somewhere on our planet."

By Sharmila Kuthunur Published
A mysterious flash of X-ray emission from outside the Milky Way has left astronomers puzzled.

By Sharmila Kuthunur Published
After the space community braced for a brutal shake-up at NASA this week, a last-minute decision on Tuesday (Feb. 18) spared over 1,000 agency employees on probationary status from being dismissed.

By Sharmila Kuthunur Published
Scientists suggest adding jumping exercises to astronauts' training regimens, to minimize the health effects of long space missions, such as moon and Mars trips.

By Sharmila Kuthunur Published
Boeing notified employees it is planning to issue layoff notices "to align with revisions to the Artemis program and cost expectations."
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