ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Boronic acid

Boronic acid is like a special kind of molecule made up of atoms. It’s like a little group or team of atoms that stick together and do certain things really well.

The team is made up of three different atoms: carbon, hydrogen, and boron. The carbon and hydrogen are pretty common, but the boron is special because it doesn’t often join teams with other atoms.

The boronic acid team is really good at sticking to things that have a special kind of group called a “hydroxyl” group. These groups are like little arms sticking off of other molecules, and they can grab onto the boronic acid team really well.

Scientists use boronic acid for lots of things because it’s so good at sticking to other molecules. It can be used to create new types of medications or to help detect certain kinds of diseases.

But because boronic acid is so good at sticking to things, it can sometimes be hard to control. Scientists have to be really careful to make sure it doesn't stick to the wrong things and cause problems.