A closer look

Your genetic code is not just a boring, twisted ladder. When your cells need to violently hit the brakes on producing certain proteins, they literally tie their own RNA into complex, four-stranded microscopic knots called G-quadruplexes. These structural roadblocks physically jam the biological machinery trying to read the code, acting as a brilliant, built-in volume knob that prevents your body from accidentally overproducing compounds that could lead to cancer.