Transfer RNAs (called tRNAs for short) are small RNA molecules that play an important role in protein synthesis! Each tRNA corresponds to one of the 20 possible protein building blocks in humans called amino acids. As the ribosome reads each codon along an mRNA, the tRNA bring the correct amino acid, which is then added to the growing protein molecule!

Many types of RNA, including tRNAs, fold into specific shapes that help them function and keep them stable. Complementary sequences at different positions along the length of an RNA fold the molecule into loops and other complex structures.

TRNAs are folded into a distinct L-shape that helps them carry out their function. One end of the tRNA has a specific sequence to match a codon on the mRNA, while the other end of the tRNA has a site to carry the amino acid that will be added to the new protein.

Learn more in our RNA fact sheet!

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Ribonucleic acid (RNA) is an essential molecule that performs many roles in the cell, from carrying the instructions to make proteins to regulating genes.

The new product features a coefficient of performance of 4.9 and sound levels of 52–56 db(A).

Credits: Dan V. Nicolau, Mercy Lard, Till Korten, Falco C. M. J. M. van Delft, Malin Persson, Elina Bengtsson, Alf Månsson, Stefan Diez, Heiner Linke, and Dan V. Nicolau.

PNAS. 2016. DOI: 10.1073/pnas.

Animation explaining the computation principle. In this animation, a network encoding the {1,3} SSP is explained and an example agent is shown to travel the path that encodes the subset {3}. The agent enters the network from the top left-hand corner. It first encounters a split junction where it randomly decides to turn right and exclude the corresponding number. The agent then enters another split junction, where it adds the corresponding number to the subset. The number of pass junctions following each split junction determines the actual value of the integer added to the subset at the respective split junction. The exit numbers correspond to the target sums T (potential solutions) represented by each exit. The example agent arrives at the exit #3 corresponding to the total sum of the subset {3} the agent explored. Finally, the correct results (labeled in green) and incorrect results (where no agents will arrive; labeled in magenta) for this particular set {1, 3} are explained.

Acknowledgment: Dissemination of the results of ABACUS Project, funded by the European Union’s Seventh Framework Programme for Research, Technological Development and Demonstration under Grant Agreement no. 613,044 The beneficiaries and partners in ABACUS Consortium are: Lund University, Coordinator, Molecular Sense Ltd. — UK, Linnaeus University – Sweden, Dresden University – Germany and McGill University, Canada. The main result of the Project has been published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the USA — 113, 2591–2596 (2016). Authors: Dan V. Nicolau Jr., Mercy Lard, Till Korten, Falco C. M. J. M. van Delft, Malin Persson, Elina Bengtsson, Alf Månsson, Stefan Diez, Heiner Linke, and Dan V. Nicolau For more information on the ABACUS Project you may visit http://abacus4eu.com/

Apple patches WebKit zero-day CVE-2025–24201, exploited in sophisticated attacks before iOS 17.2. Update secures iOS, macOS, Safari, and Vision Pro.

And soon, we may have proof.

Two decades on from the first reported covalent organic frameworks, Nina Notman investigates what their future holds.

Well this is like the wizard of odd. 🙄 An expedition to a deep-sea ridge, just north of the Hawaiian Islands, revealed a surprise discovery back in 2022: an ancient dried-out lake bed paved with what looks like a yellow brick road.

The eerie scene was chanced upon by the exploration vessel Nautilus, while surveying the Liliʻuokalani ridge within Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument (PMNM).

Ve only explored about 3 percent of its seafloor…

Holographic vector-field electron tomography reveals the three-dimensional magnetic texture of Bloch skyrmion tubes in FeGe at nanometre resolution, including complex three-dimensional modulations and fundamental skyrmion formation principles.

Researchers from the University of Science and Technology of China (USTC) have unveiled a planar optical device that significantly enhances the capabilities of dark-field microscopy, achieving super-resolution imaging beyond the diffraction limit. The work was led by Prof. Zhang Douguo and has been published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Dark-field microscopy is a powerful technique used to visualize unstained samples by illuminating them with light at oblique angles, resulting in high-contrast images of weakly scattering objects. However, traditional dark-field microscopy is limited by the diffraction barrier and often requires complex, bulky setups with precise alignment. Super-resolution imaging techniques, which can overcome this barrier, are typically expensive and difficult to operate. The need for a simpler, more accessible solution has long been a challenge in the field.

The study introduces a planar photonic device that integrates a scattering layer, a one-dimensional photonic crystal (1DPC), and a metallic film to generate dark-field speckle patterns. This compact device can be easily integrated into conventional microscopes, eliminating the need for complex optical systems or precise alignment.

Analysis of Moroccan stalagmites reveals that the Sahara received increased rainfall between 8,700 and 4,300 years ago, supporting early herding societies. This rainfall, likely driven by tropical plumes and monsoon expansion, narrowed the desert, improved habitability, and facilitated human movement.

Analysis of stalagmite samples from caves in southern Morocco has revealed new details about past rainfall patterns in the Sahara Desert. Researchers from the University of Oxford

The University of Oxford is a collegiate research university in Oxford, England that is made up of 39 constituent colleges, and a range of academic departments, which are organized into four divisions. It was established circa 1096, making it the oldest university in the English-speaking world and the world’s second-oldest university in continuous operation after the University of Bologna.