#xkcd 3056

[todays-xkcd]

2040s: RNA formed the basis for life each of the five known times it arose on the early Earth.

RNA [Explained]

Transcript Under the Cut

[In each panel, Cueball is standing in front of a poster. On the poster there is a picture of a double helix (presumably DNA) and some illegible text, although the poster is different in each panel. Each panel has a header indicating the decade in which it takes place.]

1960s [Cueball has a hand up in an explanatory pose] Cueball: Life is based on DNA, which uses RNA to make proteins do stuff.

1980s [Cueball faces towards the poster, with his hand on his chin.] Cueball: Also, the RNA does some stuff itself, which is weird.

2000s [Cueball has his arms raised in the air.] Cueball: There are so many types of RNA. It's doing so much stuff.

2020s [Cueball has both his hands down] Cueball: Life is a seething mass of RNA that sometimes uses DNA to take notes. Person out of frame: What do the proteins do? Cueball: Errands for RNA.