Briefing Chat: The Bunsen burner myth that turns out to be just hot air

Nature, Published online: 11 September 2026; doi:10.1038/d41586-026-02893-8Nature staff discuss an AI tool that can assess the impact of 9 billion mutations — plus, how the Bunsen burner’s reputation for sterilization might be based on…

Nature, Published online: 11 September 2026; doi:10.1038/d41586-026-02893-8

Nature staff discuss an AI tool that can assess the impact of 9 billion mutations — plus, how the Bunsen burner’s reputation for sterilization might be based on tradition alone.

El Niño goes viral — and scientists learn what makes people care about the climate

Nature, Published online: 11 September 2026; doi:10.1038/d41586-026-02763-3Evoking emotions is more likely to prompt people to engage with climate efforts than are data alone.

Nature, Published online: 11 September 2026; doi:10.1038/d41586-026-02763-3

Evoking emotions is more likely to prompt people to engage with climate efforts than are data alone.

Daily briefing: Text-message tutoring keeps kids learning when schools close

Nature, Published online: 10 September 2026; doi:10.1038/d41586-026-02888-5Twenty-minute phone calls from tutors improved children’s maths learning during emergency school closures. Plus, Denisovans made excellent deer hunters and Beat…

Nature, Published online: 10 September 2026; doi:10.1038/d41586-026-02888-5

Twenty-minute phone calls from tutors improved children’s maths learning during emergency school closures. Plus, Denisovans made excellent deer hunters and Beatles puns are here, there and everywhere in scientific literature.