If you thought that the RNA world hypothesis had comfortably eclipsed the DNA world hypothesis, think again. As far as molecular biologists at the MRC Laboratory are concerned, the two hypotheses are ...

Scientists for the first time have found strong evidence that RNA and DNA could have arisen from the same set of precursor molecules even before life evolved on Earth about four billion years ago.

Scientists have solved a long-standing mystery of how living cells distinguish the two types of nucleic acids, RNA and DNA, that make up the genetic information in all life forms. This key insight ...

Key building blocks of DNA and RNA can be made from the same raw materials. This finding suggests that instead of one or the other kick-starting life on Earth, both chemicals were involved in the ...