Exploring the Mysteries of the Micro and the Macro

DNA stores life’s genetic code, tightly packed in every cell—two meters of it folded into a tiny nucleus! DNA is 50,000 times thinner than a hair and forms the iconic double-stranded helix. To avoid damage and tangles, DNA must remain organized and accessible. But how does it manage this feat? The physical properties of DNA—how it bends, twists, and stretches—are essential to understanding biology's inner workings. Surprisingly, a rubber tube—or garden hose—works as a good model for DNA behavior. In this talk, we’ll explore when this model works well and where DNA’s twist complicates things.

Venus was the first target of the Space Race, but even after six decades of exploration, we still know very little about Earth's closest celestial neighbor. A new generation of missions will finally fill in key knowledge gaps regarding how Venus became so very different from the Earth and what it means for the habitable zones of other star systems. Findings from previous missions, goals and technologies for new missions, and enduring mysteries of the planet will be discussed.