Physicists Find Clue as To Why the DNA Double Helix Twists To the Right

New submitter Annanag writes Most organic molecules have left- or right-handed versions, mirror images of each other, just like gloves. For some reason, life always seems to favor one version over the other — the DNA double helix in its standard form always twists like a right-handed screw, for example. But why this preference for left or right happens has always been a mystery. Now, in an experiment that took 13 years to perfect, physicists have found hints that this asymmetry of life could have been caused by electrons from nuclear decay in the early days of evolution.

Comments

Re:Which side is upwards?

[Anonymous Coward]

Nope. A helix has an intrinsic twist direction invariant from the point of view.

Check it yourself. Get two identical springs and put them side by side, flip one and voila you have the same configuration than before.