Sharmila Kuthunur
Sharmila Kuthunur is a Seattle-based science journalist covering astronomy, astrophysics and space exploration. Follow her on X @skuthunur.
Latest articles by Sharmila Kuthunur
Euclid 'dark universe' telescope gets de-iced from a million miles away
By Sharmila Kuthunur published
Euclid's mission team is trying to de-ice the telescope’s mirrors after water ice begins impacting its vision.
India's Chandrayaan-3 lunar lander barely kicked up any moon dust. Here's why that matters
By Sharmila Kuthunur published
The Indian Space Research Organisation's historic Chandrayaan-3 moon lander managed to keep moon dust off its cameras thanks to a special engine setup.
If there's life on Europa, solar sails could help us find it
By Sharmila Kuthunur published
Solar sails are well suited for life-hunting missions to icy, ocean-harboring moons like Europa and Enceladus, a new study suggests.
Mystery of Jupiter's Great Blue Spot deepens with strangely fluctuating jet
By Sharmila Kuthunur published
A time-changing jet in Jupiter's atmosphere may finally shed light onto the gas giant’s mysterious dynamo.
Asteroid Apophis will swing past Earth in 2029 — could a space rock collision make it hit us?
By Sharmila Kuthunur published
Near-Earth asteroid Apophis will not collide with another space rock until its close approach to Earth in 2029, a new analysis finds.
SpaceX rocket launches pioneering methane-tracking satellite to orbit
By Sharmila Kuthunur published
MethaneSAT, which launched March 4 on SpaceX's Transporter-10 rideshare mission, will monitor hotspots of methane, a potent greenhouse gas.
India completes critical test for Gaganyaan flight crewed by humanoid robot later this year
By Sharmila Kuthunur published
Early last week, ISRO successfully completed the final test to qualify its Gaganyaan rocket engine, approving it to be capable of safely ferrying astronauts to space.
The mathematically perfect exoplanet system — a great place to search for alien tech
By Sharmila Kuthunur published
A newfound exoplanet system with six sub-Neptunes has piqued the interest of scientists who seek extraterrestrial life.
NASA's OSIRIS-APEX asteroid probe wakes up after surviving close pass by the sun
By Sharmila Kuthunur published
NASA's OSIRIS-APEX probe is back online after a two-month hiatus to protect itself during a close approach to the sun as it makes its way to potentially dangerous asteroid Apophis.
3 tiny new moons found around Uranus and Neptune — and one is exceptionally tiny
By Sharmila Kuthunur published
Two will be named after sea gods and nymphs and the other will be named for a Shakespearean character.
Watch Intuitive Machines' private Odysseus lander attempt historic moon landing
By Sharmila Kuthunur last updated
Intuitive Machines' Odysseus probe will attempt a historic landing near the moon's south pole this evening (Feb. 22), and you can watch the action live.
Massive underground laboratory in China joins the quest to find dark matter
By Sharmila Kuthunur published
A renovated Chinese underground lab has expanded the search for dark matter, offering new promise for the detection of this abundant yet elusive substance.
China's Chang'e-5 moon samples contain 'perplexing combination' of minerals
By Sharmila Kuthunur published
China's Chang'e-5 moon samples are giving scientists new insights into the history of our moon.
Lunar astronauts could potentially make hummus with moon-grown chickpeas
By Sharmila Kuthunur published
A team of researchers has grown chickpeas in simulated moondust for the first time.
Huge stars are born as twins, triplets and more, new images confirm
By Sharmila Kuthunur published
A newly imaged star cluster is birthing groups of three, four and five stars, confirming the prevailing wisdom that the universe forms its stars in multiples.
NASA's IMAP probe will launch in 2025 to capture interstellar dust
By Sharmila Kuthunur published
In the spring of 2024, NASA plans to launch a spacecraft to capture minuscule dust particles streaming into our solar system from interstellar space.
Planets can form much faster than thought, new ALMA telescope photos suggest
By Sharmila Kuthunur published
Clouds of dust and gas not far from our solar system are giving astronomers a rare glimpse into the earliest stages of planet formation.
This huge exoplanet's comet-like tail is 350,000 miles long and scientists are thrilled
By Sharmila Kuthunur published
A hot Jupiter exoplanet's comet-like tail is far longer than previously thought, spanning at least 350,000 miles, scientists say.
Mystery solved! 1st close-up images of giant star explain its bizarre dimming
By Sharmila Kuthunur published
The first close-up images of the gigantic star RW Cephei explain why it appeared to mysteriously grow dimmer in recent years before brightening once more.
Astronomers solve mystery of 'Green Monster' in famous supernova remnant (photo)
By Sharmila Kuthunur published
The mysterious wispy green light captured by the James Webb Space Telescope last year near the heart of Cassiopeia A turns out to be a result of a blast wave slamming into surrounding material.
Europe's Proba-3 mission will create an 'artificial eclipse' to the study sun's corona
By Sharmila Kuthunur published
Europe will launch two satellites in September which will together form an artificial eclipse to help scientists study the sun.
Uranus and Neptune are actually similar blues, 'true' color images reveal
By Sharmila Kuthunur published
A fresh analysis of Voyager 2's images of Uranus and Neptune reveal the two ice giants are similar shades of blue.
'Cooling glass' could fight climate change by reflecting solar radiation back into space
By Sharmila Kuthunur published
To combat increasing global temperatures, scientists have developed a new cooling glass paint which effectively uses space as a heat sink.
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