An RNA thermometer is like a little thermometer that can tell if your body is too hot or too cold. Just like a thermometer that you might put under your tongue, an RNA thermometer is a small part of a cell that can sense the temperature around it.
This special thermometer is made of a molecule called RNA, which is something that helps cells make proteins. When your body gets too hot, this RNA thermometer changes shape and sends a signal to the cell to slow down, kind of like how you might feel tired and sluggish when you're really hot. When your body gets too cold, the RNA thermometer changes shape again and tells the cell to speed up, just like how you might feel shivery and want to move around more when it's really cold outside.
Having RNA thermometers in cells is really important because cells need to be at the right temperature to work properly. If cells get too hot or too cold, they might not be able to make enough proteins or they might make proteins that aren't quite right, which can cause problems. So RNA thermometers help cells stay healthy and happy, just like how it's important for you to stay at the right temperature too!