NOVA RNA Lab

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Solve RNA puzzles and find out why RNA is central to the origin of life, evolution, and the cellular machinery that keeps us alive.Nature’s best kept secret is a wonder molecule called RNA. It is central to the origin of life, evolution, and the cellular machinery that keeps us alive. In this game, you’ll play the role of a molecular engineer by solving RNA folding puzzles. Then take your skills to Eterna, where you can design RNAs that could be at the heart of future life-saving therapies.

For Educators:
The RNA Lab allows users to explore the science of RNA and learn how to design biomolecules online. Based on the existing game Eterna, the NOVA RNA Lab is built around a series of puzzles. By exploring and finding potential solutions to these puzzles, users learn about the complex process of RNA folding, while honing their problem-solving and iteration skills in an engaging, game-based environment. Users learn that molecular shape determines RNA function and allows RNA strands to carry out a wide variety of jobs essential for life. Below are standards from the NGSS that align to the content and skills of the RNA Lab:

High School:
—HS-LS1-1--Construct an explanation based on evidence for how the structure of DNA determines the structure of proteins, which carry out the essential functions of life through systems of specialized cells.

—HS-LS4-1--Communicate scientific information that common ancestry and biological evolution are supported by multiple lines of empirical evidence.