Research Lookup

---
name: research-lookup
description: 'Look up current research and scientific information across three backends: fast web search via parallel-cli (default), the Parallel Chat API for deep multi-source synthesis, and Perplexity sonar-pro-search for scholarly paper searches. Automatically routes each query to the best backend and saves every result to sources/ for reproducible citation. Use this whenever you need to find papers, gather statistics or market data, verify a scientific claim, collect citations, or research any topic for scientific/technical writing — even if the user does not say "research" explicitly. Note: query text is sent to api.parallel.ai (PARALLEL_API_KEY) and, for academic searches, to openrouter.ai (OPENROUTER_API_KEY).'
allowed-tools: Read Write Edit Bash
license: MIT license
compatibility: parallel-cli required (primary); PARALLEL_API_KEY and OPENROUTER_API_KEY optional for deep/academic backends
required_environment_variables: [{"name": "PARALLEL_API_KEY", "prompt": "Parallel web search API key.", "required_for": "optional features"}, {"name": "OPENROUTER_API_KEY", "prompt": "OpenRouter API key (fallback model access).", "required_for": "optional features"}]
metadata: {"version": "1.2", "skill-author": "K-Dense Inc.", "openclaw": {"primaryEnv": "PARALLEL_API_KEY", "envVars": [{"name": "PARALLEL_API_KEY", "required": false, "description": "Parallel web search API key."}, {"name": "OPENROUTER_API_KEY", "required": false, "description": "OpenRouter API key (fallback model access)."}]}}
---

# Research Information Lookup

Real-time research lookup that routes each query to the backend best suited to it, then saves the result so every citation can be traced later.

## The three backends

| Backend | Speed | Use it for | How to call |
|---------|-------|-----------|-------------|
| **`parallel-cli search`** (default) | 2–10 s | Almost everything: general research, market/industry data, technical lookups, current events, fact-checking, comparisons | `parallel-cli search` (direct) |
| **Perplexity sonar-pro-search** | 5–15 s | Scholarly paper searches where peer-reviewed database coverage matters (find papers, DOIs, systematic reviews) | `scripts/research_lookup.py --force-backend perplexity` |
| **Parallel Chat API** (`core` model) | 60 s–5 min | Deep, exhaustive multi-source synthesis — only when the user explicitly asks for "deep research" | `scripts/research_lookup.py --force-backend parallel` |

> **Naming caution — there are two different "Parallel" things.**
> `parallel-cli search` is the fast web-search CLI (the default). The "Parallel Chat API (`core` model)" is a separate, slow deep-research endpoint reached only through `research_lookup.py`. `--force-backend parallel` selects the *slow* Chat API, **not** the fast CLI. Don't conflate them.
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