Vice
By Mirjam Guesgen
January 31, 2024
Scientists have discovered strange entities hiding in our guts and mouths that may represent an entirely new class of life—if they are even alive.
Dubbed “obelisks,” these tiny rings of RNA can fold into a structure that looks more like a rod, hence the name. They’re also surprisingly commonplace in our microbiomes—the community of viruses, bacteria, fungi, and their genes that live in our bodies. Yet, they’ve gone undetected until now and represent the latest discovery in an ever-growing list of mysterious “genetic agents” hiding in plain sight. Indeed, the researchers who discovered them report that their function, if they have one, is a mystery.