Why RNA Day matters for the future of science

In 2018, the RNA Society endorsed Aug. 1 as annual World RNA Day , and depending on when you’re reading this article, the anniversary of that day is either upon you now or has likely passed you by without much fanfare. After all, it seems that every day of the year has been proclaimed a national or world day of something or other. In August alone, there’s International Traffic Light Day on the 5th and International Vlogging Day on the 10th. These days are kitschy at best, barely worth the seconds of attention they seek on your social media timelines. But every so often, a commemorative day comes around that is worth your attention. RNA Day is one of them. For too long, RNA, short for ribonucleic acid, has had to lurk in the shadows while its bigger sibling, DNA, short for deoxyribonucleic acid, takes up the spotlight. Yet RNA