Research Spotlights Archives

The stripy, swirly surface of Jupiter is overlaid with a yellow line going from top to bottom, intersecting with a series of blue dots. An inset shows a closer view of the planet.

Research Spotlights

Stealth Superstorms Reveal Lightning on Jupiter: Beyond the Superbolt

by Saima May Sidik 23 March 202623 March 2026

On the gas giant, the strength and frequency of lightning appear to be more diverse than previously thought.

Two baby sea turtles crawl in the sand on a beach in Indonesia.

Research Spotlights

Sea Turtles, Shrinking Beaches, and Rising Seas

by Rebecca Owen 16 March 202616 March 2026

A new study looks at how sea turtle nesting sites may be affected as sea levels rise and sandy beaches erode.

A swirling, bright blue shape with soft edges appears against a background of dark blue in this bird’s-eye view of the ocean off the coast of France.

Research Spotlights

Global Observations Reveal Rapid Reorganization of Ocean Nutrients

by Sarah Stanley 12 March 202612 March 2026

Data reveal that changes in nutrient levels vary depending on depth and distance from shore—and that these changes are happening more quickly than scientists realized.

A hole drilled through a glacier extends off into the darkness. A camera is being lowered into the hole. The photo is bathed in red light.

Research Spotlights

A Long-Term Look Beneath an Antarctic Ice Shelf

by Nathaniel Scharping 6 March 20269 March 2026

More than 4 years of data from a borehole in the Ross Ice Shelf reveal supercooled water and more.

Swirls of blue and green are seen in a satellite image of the ocean. On the edges of the image are green areas of land, white areas of ice, and white clouds.

Research Spotlights

Bacteria Decide the Ocean’s Dissolved Organic Carbon Abundance

by Saima May Sidik 3 March 20263 March 2026

Dissolved organic carbon prevalence follows from how many bacteria are around to eat it, modeling suggests.

The Sun looms large in a red sky over the trees of the Amazon rainforest.

Research Spotlights

Drought Drove the Amazon’s 2023 Switch to a Carbon Source

by Madeline Reinsel 25 February 202625 February 2026

The change was caused by thirsty vegetation taking up less carbon than normal, not by the year’s extended fire season, new research shows.

The larvae of Culex mosquitoes cluster together underwater.

Research Spotlights

New Method Could Improve U.S. Forecasting of West Nile Virus

by Nathaniel Scharping 20 February 202620 February 2026

An innovative model uses regional climate data and records of West Nile virus neuroinvasive disease to outperform existing forecasts, potentially helping communities prepare.

A geographic information system (GIS) map shows a number of different layers: Blue areas represent flood zones or floodways, whereas white areas are those with minimal flood hazard. Red, orange, green, and gray areas represent mining waste.

Research Spotlights

Making a Map to Make a Difference

by Rebecca Owen 11 February 202611 February 2026

A new study highlights the partnership between scientists and nonscientist community members in building an interactive GIS map to show flooding risk in a Superfund site.