This is fascinating work and sounds a little like the research my daughter says she wants to study (she's only a sophomore at UMBC right now, though). She hopes to get an internship in the summer of her junior year. She is interested in plant biology and bioengineering.
If I understand correctly, plants have RNA - would this mean new RNA-based lifeforms could also be found within plants?
If I understand correctly, plants have RNA - would this mean new RNA-based lifeforms could also be found within plants?