Latest articles by Sharmila Kuthunur
Mercury is weird because of a 'hit-and-run' incident in its youth
"What surprised us, at the end, was how effective this type of impact could be in explaining Mercury's unusual structure without needing to consider multiple collisions or extremely rare conditions."
NASA's daredevil solar spacecraft survives 2nd close flyby of our sun
NASA's Parker Solar Probe has completed is 2nd ultra-close flyby of the sun, and survived to transmit its data back to Earth.
Gaia telescope retires: Scientists bid farewell to 'the discovery machine of the decade' that mapped 2 billion Milky Way stars
After 11 years mapping the Milky Way, the European Space Agency's Gaia space telescope has retired. Scientists hailed it as "the discovery machine of the decade."
Atacama Telescope reveals earliest-ever 'baby pictures' of the universe: 'We can see right back through cosmic history'
New observations with the Atacama Cosmology Telescope in Chile reveal the earliest-ever "baby pictures" of our universe, showing some of the oldest light we can possibly see.
NASA astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore were carried away on stretchers after return from space. Here's why that's normal.
When astronauts return from a prolonged visit to space, they are often carried out of their capsules and placed on stretchers. The 'stranded' astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore were no exception. Here's why.
A giant extraterrestrial 'wave' hit Earth 14 million years ago — and may have dramatically altered our planet's climate
Our solar system's journey around the center of the Milky Way takes it through varying galactic environments, and one may have had a lasting impact on Earth's climate, according to a new study.
'This doesn't appear in computer simulations': Hubble maps chaotic history of Andromeda galaxy, and it's nothing like scientists expected
An ambitious new survey by the Hubble Space Telescope offers the first bird's-eye view of all known dwarf galaxies orbiting the Andromeda galaxy. The data suggests Andromeda had a chaotic past unlike anything scientists expected.
'Utterly cataclysmic': James Webb telescope spots 2 alien planets disintegrating before our eyes
In world-first observations, the James Webb Space Telescope is watching two distant alien planets "spilling their guts into space" as they rapidly disintegrate — and scientists are elated at what they've found.
'Iridescent' clouds on Mars captured in Martian twilight in stunning NASA rover images
"I'll always remember the first time I saw those iridescent clouds and was sure at first it was some color artifact."
There was nearly 1 rocket launch attempt every 34 hours in 2024 — this year will be even busier
"There is reason to have confidence in upward trajectory of the space economy."
'We were amazed': Astronomers discover oldest, biggest black hole jet in the known universe — and there may be more
Astronomers have used a continent-sized radio telescope to find the largest black hole jet ever observed in the early universe.
Astronomers catch black holes 'cooking' their own meals in bizarre, endless feeding cycle
Black holes can actively regulate the material they consume, using powerful jets of gas blasted into space, according to a new study. It suggests many such cosmic beasts effectively "cook" their own meals.
Doorbell camera captures 1st-ever video of the sound and sight of a meteorite crash-landing
A doorbell camera recorded a rare video of the moment a meteorite fell outside a home.
'It was very fortunate timing': Astronomers watch 1st black hole to 'shut off' blast back to life
The first black hole that astronomers observed "turning off" just turned back on, releasing jets of hot gas into the cosmos.
Coolest space missions coming in 2025
From a death swirl into Jupiter to "Ghost Riders in the Sky," here are some of the most exciting space missions coming in 2025.
Potentially habitable planet TRAPPIST-1b may have a carbon dioxide-rich atmosphere
The innermost Earth-like planet in the famous TRAPPIST-1 system might be capable of supporting a thick atmosphere after all, according to new research.
Parker Solar Probe survives historic closest-ever flyby of the sun, NASA confirms
On Christmas Eve, NASA's Parker Solar Probe flew closer to the sun than any human-made object ever — a stunning technological feat that scientists liken to the historic Apollo moon landing in 1969. Now, we know it survived.
Auroras could light up the skies on Christmas, thanks to a powerful solar flare heading toward Earth
A display of auroras is expected to light up the skies on Christmas Day, thanks to a powerful M8.9 solar flare enroute to Earth.
Scientists discover 2 stars dancing around the Milky Way's black hole — and they could point to a type of planet never seen before
Astronomers have discovered a pair of young stars near the supermassive black hole at the heart of our galaxy. Studying them can offer a rare glimpse into how stars can endure — at least briefly — the immense gravity exerted by such cosmic behemoths.
Surprise discovery in alien planet's atmosphere could upend decades of planet formation theory
The odd atmosphere of a fledgling exoplanet is causing astronomers to question leading theories of how planets form.
James Webb telescope spots more than 100 new asteroids between Jupiter and Mars — and some are heading toward Earth
Astronomers analyzing archival images from JWST have discovered an unexpectedly vast population of the smallest asteroids ever seen in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter.
China's Mars rover Zhurong finds possible shoreline of ancient Red Planet ocean
Data from China's Zhurong rover has revealed what appears to be an ancient shoreline streaking through Mars' northern hemisphere.
Where do fast radio bursts come from? Astronomers tie mysterious eruptions to massive galaxies.
Fast radio bursts — powerful and poorly understood cosmic eruptions — tend to occur in massive galaxies that host long-dead stars known as magnetars, a new study suggests.
