RNA molecules are one of the key biomolecules of life as they appear in organisms as catalysts, building blocks, and information carriers. RNA is made up of sequences of chemical `letters’ called nucleotides, similar to the chemicals that make up DNA sequences. RNA sequences can... click to read more

While humans are 99.999% the same at the DNA level, there are small variations in our DNAs known as alleles. Most differences in our alleles are harmless, but some alleles make us more susceptible to get diseases like cancer or dementia. Understanding how these alleles... click to read more

We often think of genes as a static piece of information in DNA that determines different physical aspects of life. I have blue eyes because I have the gene(s) for blue eyes. However, while DNA is important in determining such features, it's the proteins encoded... click to read more

Despite consisting only of one single cell, the microorganism Paramecium has an amazingly complex life cycle. It has a period of infancy and of old age, it learns, defends itself from prey, has sex, responds to different sensory cues - all things we can relate... click to read more

Roughly speaking, our bodies use energy from the sun, but we can't use sunlight directly. Instead, plants and algae collect sunlight and store it as chemical energy through the process of photosynthesis. We can access that fuel directly when we eat plants, or indirectly when... click to read more