Viral Claim On NASA Selecting Ayurvedic Doctor For Space Travel Is Fake

The newspaper clipping, allegedly from The New York Times, has the headline: “NASA Selects Indian Ayurvedic Doctor To Explore Role Of Traditional Medicine in Space Travel.” However, BOOM found the image to be fake.

As per the widely shared clipping, one Dr. Ezhilarasan, who allegedly has over a decade of clinical experience in Ayurveda, has been chosen to participate in a joint research mission involving NASA, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), and India’s Ministry of Ayush. The claim suggests the mission will begin with earth-based simulations at NASA’s Johnson Space Center.

Archived Instagram link.

BOOM checked the official websites of NASA, ISRO, and India’s Ministry of Ayush to verify whether any announcement had been made regarding a joint collaboration, as the viral post claimed. However, no such information, statement, or press release was found on any of their official platforms.

A closer look at the viral clipping showed that the article is riddled with spelling errors, incorrect phrasing, and repeated sentences. Notably, the name “The New York Times” itself is misspelled in the clipping. We also found no coverage of this claim in any credible news outlet.