Oceans churned with lava. Air filled thick with smoke. Asteroids stormed down incessantly. Life during the Hadean Eon four billion years ago was a struggle, and yet that was when it began. 1,2 With no ...

The original version of this story appeared in Quanta Magazine. For a molecule of RNA, the world is a dangerous place. Unlike DNA, which can persist for millions of years in its remarkably stable, ...

RNA is thought to have sparked the origin of life by self-copying. Researchers have now revealed the atomic structure of an 'RNA copy machine' through cryo-EM. This breakthrough sheds light on a ...

In 2018, the RNA Society endorsed Aug. 1 as annual World RNA Day, and depending on when you’re reading this article, the anniversary of that day is either upon you now or has likely passed you by ...

Although there are striking differences between the cells that make up your eyes, kidneys, brain and toes, the DNA blueprint for these cells is essentially the same. Where do those differences come ...

University of Delaware’s Mona Batish is a molecular biologist. She studies circular RNAs formed as a result of so-called molecular mistakes that occur when a strand of RNA — the ribonucleic acid that ...