Dossier
RNA
Coverage of RNA in the Nexus archive.
- Life, uh, finds a pathway — Caltech researchers think they found one too
Caltech researchers discovered a chemical reaction involving benzene and hydrogen cyanide that could explain the formation of DNA and RNA nucleobases on early Earth and potentially Mars. The study suggests sunlight and asteroid impacts may have driven this pathway, offering a simpler explanation than previous theories.
- RNA-triggered cell killing with CRISPR–Cas12a2
CRISPR-Cas12a2 enables RNA-triggered killing of eukaryotic cells through DNA shredding, allowing selective elimination of virus-infected or mutation-bearing cells. This technology has potential applications in gene expression and cell targeting. The research was published in Nature on May 6, 2026.