Latest articles by Sharmila Kuthunur
From space to the seabed, critical infrastructure is becoming more vulnerable, experts warn: 'People don't realize how dependent we are'
"We are on Day 1. A lot more needs to be done."
James Webb Space Telescope reveals new origin story for the universe's 1st supermassive black holes
Recent James Webb Space Telescope data confirms a decade-old theory that the universe's earliest supermassive black holes formed without stars.
Super-Earth exoplanets may have built-in magnetic protection from churning magma — and that's good news for life
"A strong magnetic field is very important for life on a planet."
Moon landings could contaminate evidence about life's beginnings on Earth. Here's how
Exhaust from lunar landers drifts across the moon and contaminates ultra-cold polar craters that are rich in ancient ice and organic clues, a new study reports.
Sinking ice on Jupiter's moon Europa may be slowly feeding its ocean the ingredients for life
"Most excitingly, this new idea addresses one of the longstanding habitability problems on Europa and is a good sign for the prospects of extraterrestrial life in its ocean."
This is the sharpest view ever seen of a black hole's dusty disk
"Instead of Webb's 6.5-meter diameter, it's like we are observing this region with a 13-meter space telescope."
Astronomers searching for alien life are sharpening our cosmic clocks. Here's why
Tiny delays in pulsar signals measured by SETI scientists could aid the search for gravitational waves and extraterrestrial life.
After a month of no answer, NASA will try hailing its silent MAVEN Mars orbiter today
MAVEN was built to last in orbit until 2030 — that's not looking likely anymore.
Scientists are getting our robotic explorers ready to help send humans to Mars
"It's really not a question of robotic exploration or human exploration," Ehlmann said. "It is an 'and' — it's robotic and human exploration and how we do these best together."
The most exciting exoplanet discoveries of 2025
New discoveries and fresh looks at familiar worlds show how far exoplanet science has come — and how much remains unknown.
NASA's Perseverance Mars rover could break the record for miles driven on another planet
"There is a lot to keep us busy."
NASA's Parker Solar Probe captures solar wind doing a 'U-turn'
NASA's Parker Solar Probe captured solar material looping back to the sun, revealing how it recycles magnetic energy and shapes future solar storms.
Finding the point of no return: Sun's shifting, spiky atmospheric boundary mapped in detail for 1st time
Scientists have created the first detailed maps of the sun's atmospheric boundary, where solar material breaks free and streams into space.
Satellite constellations could obscure most space telescope observations by late 2030s: 'That part of the image will be forever lost'
"The natural question that comes up is: how many more space telescopes will be affected when all these constellations are launched?"
James Webb Space Telescope finds strongest evidence yet for atmosphere around rocky exoplanet: 'It's really like a wet lava ball'
Astronomers have found the strongest evidence yet of an atmosphere around a rocky exoplanet.
Scientists map of old Mars river basins for the 1st time. These could be great places to search for ancient life
"We did the simplest thing that could be done — we just mapped them and pieced them together."
Interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS caught on camera in new images from Hubble Space Telescope and JUICE Jupiter probe
JUICE and the Hubble Space Telescope turned their gazes towards the interstellar visitor in November.
One of the most promising Earth-like worlds may not have an atmosphere after all
New simulations suggest TRAPPIST-1e's possible methane atmosphere may be a false signal from its star, raising fresh questions about the planet’s habitability.
NASA spacecraft tracks comet SWAN in incredible 40-day timelapse — and even glimpses interstellar invader 3I/ATLAS (video)
NASA imaged Comet C/2025 R2 (SWAN) every four minutes for nearly 40 days, marking the longest any comet has been tracked with such frequency.
Why is the universe made of matter? These 'ghost particle' experiments could help us find out
A new joint analysis from the NOvA and T2K experiments offers the most precise look yet at neutrino behavior, bringing scientists closer to understanding why the universe is made of matter.
NASA discovers 'space gum' and sugars 'crucial to life' in asteroid Bennu samples brought to Earth (video)
Asteroid Bennu samples contain life-friendly sugars, a strange "space-gum," and ancient stardust
4 key things NASA just revealed about the interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS
"This is a snapshot of where we are very early in the scientific process."
Astronomers finally explain the strange physics of ghostly 'radio relics' in space
A new set of computer simulations may finally explain several long-standing mysteries surrounding gigantic radio "relics" that appear when galaxy clusters collide.
