Researchers ponder the implications of a massive summer storm in the Arctic Ocean that swept across a weakened ice pack.

In some areas, heat from urban development could outpace warming due to greenhouse gases.

One of the largest bodies of water in the United States, the Ogallala Aquifer, lies underground. Crucial to life in the U.S. Great Plains, it's one of many aquifers around the world under stress as water demands increase. Satellite data are now painting a richer picture of how these water stores are evolving.

As rising temperatures melt glaciers around the world, scientists are tracking the changes and helping glacier-dependent regions adapt to a changing water supply.

Until supplies approach a trickle—or a torrent—public attention seldom focuses on water issues. But water is consistently Topic A for a wide-ranging group of researchers.