Saturday, 10 October 2026 Updated 57 min ago
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Scientists accidentally discover a genetic code that breaks the rules of life

Scientists accidentally discovered a microscopic organism with a genetic code that breaks a rule researchers thought was nearly universal.

According to ScienceDaily, scientists accidentally discovered a microscopic organism with a genetic code that breaks a rule researchers thought was nearly universal.

While testing a new DNA sequencing technique, they examined a previously unknown protist collected from a freshwater pond at Oxford University. To their surprise, the organism uses two genetic signals that normally mark the end of a gene to encode two entirely different amino acids instead.

This science story centres on the United States. Names and organisations mentioned in the coverage include DNA and Oxford University.

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Key details

Location
United States · Americas
Reported by
ScienceDaily
First reported
Key names
DNA, Oxford University
Section
Science

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