ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

History of RNA biology

Do you know what RNA is? It is a type of molecule that is really important for cells to make proteins, which are like little machines that do all sorts of different jobs in the body.

Scientists have been studying RNA for a long time, but it wasn't until the 1900s that they realized just how important it is. They started studying the structure of RNA and how it works with DNA, which is another important molecule that carries genetic information.

One cool thing that scientists discovered is that RNA can actually have different shapes, and those shapes can affect how it works. This is called RNA folding, and it's really important for making sure that RNA does its job properly.

In the 1950s, scientists discovered that RNA can also be used to build viruses. This was a big discovery, because it helped scientists to understand how viruses work and how they can be treated.

As scientists continued to study RNA, they also discovered that it plays a role in a lot of other processes in the body beyond just making proteins. For example, RNA can help control which genes are turned on and off, and it can also help cells respond to different stimuli like stress or injury.

Today, scientists continue to study RNA and its many different functions in the body. They are also developing new technologies that allow them to manipulate RNA in order to treat diseases or develop new treatments. So even though RNA is really complex, scientists are still learning more and more about it every day!