Finding RNA World
There must be something wrong with the link between my science gland and the pleasure centre of my brain. I mean, normally a story like this would have me a-jitter with excitement. But for some reason, it fails to enthuse me.
So what’s up? Scientists have created (by means of an ingenious combination of intelligent design and natural selection) RNA molecules that can replicate. Except, well, personally I think “replicate” is rather a strong term. They copy themselves by assembling two smaller strings of RNA, rather than directly from nuclear acids (PZ Myers explains the process here). To me that doesn’t seem like that big a leap forward in the RNA World research. It’s one step in a long chain that might end up with something of supreme awesomeness - but we’re not there yet.
Cool stuff, but nothing I’d get overly excited about. (Or maybe I’m just stressed about the paper due on wednesday and having to turn my apartment upside down in anticipation of the new bed. Hard to tell with these things.)