ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Bioorthogonal chemistry

Do you know how sometimes our bodies have bad cells that can make us sick? Well, scientists use something called bioorthogonal chemistry to study these cells and try to make them better.

Bioorthogonal chemistry is like a puzzle where scientists use special pieces (called molecules) to build a picture of what is happening inside our bodies. The cool thing about these special puzzle pieces is that they don't interfere with the normal things that are happening in our bodies. It's like playing a game of Jenga, but instead of pulling out the blocks that have been there awhile, scientists use special tools to add new blocks to the tower without causing it to fall over.

Scientists use these special puzzle pieces to study the bad cells in our bodies. They will attach one puzzle piece to the bad cell and another puzzle piece to a light or a color. When the light or color is added, it will show where the bad cells are hiding. This helps scientists understand the bad cells better and how to fix them.

So, in simple terms, bioorthogonal chemistry is a way for scientists to study the bad cells in our bodies without causing any harm to the good cells around them. They use special puzzle pieces to build a picture of what is happening and try to find ways to make us healthier.