More than 220 entries from scientists worldwide were narrowed by Nature staff to this year’s Scientists at Work winners and five finalists, highlighting images that document research in the field.
A 1,700-mile, 50-day northern bald ibis migration image taken in Jaén, Spain won overall, showing an Austrian conservation team in an ultralight aircraft guiding hand-raised birds to winter grounds.
Other recognized images captured toxic algal bloom sampling in Ontario, a fluorescent yellow fever mosquito experiment testing nitisinone, and coral reef oxygen measurements in the Red Sea.
A whale shark skin-microbe sampling photo also made the selection, underscoring the competition’s focus on scientists working inside broader, interconnected ecosystems.