Illustration of pink strands of RNA on a blue background
Synthetic RNA Can Build Peptides, Hinting at Life’s Beginnings
Researchers engineered strands of RNA that can link amino acids together, suggesting a way that RNA and proteins may have emerged together to create the earliest forms of life.
Synthetic RNA Can Build Peptides, Hinting at Life’s Beginnings
Synthetic RNA Can Build Peptides, Hinting at Life’s Beginnings

Researchers engineered strands of RNA that can link amino acids together, suggesting a way that RNA and proteins may have emerged together to create the earliest forms of life.

Researchers engineered strands of RNA that can link amino acids together, suggesting a way that RNA and proteins may have emerged together to create the earliest forms of life.

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RNA world
RNA-DNA Chimeras Might Have Supported the Origin of Life on Earth
Jef Akst | Sep 17, 2019
A new study finds mixtures of nucleotide types, rather than pure systems, are more likely to yield the building blocks of life.
RNA might have incorporated inosine, a derivative of adenosine, in place of guanosine
Primordial RNA May Have Contained Inosine
Catherine Offord | Mar 1, 2019
The discovery that the adenosine derivative aids self-replication adds weight to the theory that life on Earth originated from a mixture of RNA molecules.
Early Code
Jef Akst | Jun 3, 2015
New research points to key properties of transfer RNA molecules and amino acids that may have supported the origin of life on Earth.
From the Feature Well
Jef Akst | Dec 29, 2014
A review of The Scientist’s 2014 special issues, highlighting trending areas of research across the life sciences
Matthew Powner: Origin Solver
Jef Akst | Mar 1, 2014
Lecturer, Department of Chemistry, University College London. Age: 32
Let There Be Life
Mary Beth Aberlin | Mar 1, 2014
How did Earth become biological?
RNA World 2.0
Jef Akst | Mar 1, 2014
Most scientists believe that ribonucleic acid played a key role in the origin of life on Earth, but the versatile molecule isn’t the whole story.
 
RNA Origins
Jef Akst | Feb 28, 2014
See March 2014 Scientist to Watch Matthew Powner explain his work exploring the chemical origins of life on Earth.