Editorial: RNA Day is here. The future of science may depend on it.

In 2018, the RNA Society endorsed Aug. 1 as annual World RNA Day, and depending on when you’re reading this article, the anniversary of that day is either upon you now or has likely passed you by without much fanfare.

After all, it seems that every day of the year has been proclaimed a national or world day of something or other. In August alone, there’s International Traffic Light Day on the 5th and International Vlogging Day on the 10th. These days are kitschy at best, barely worth the seconds of attention they seek on your social media timelines. But every so often, a commemorative day comes around that is worth your attention. RNA Day is one of them.

For too long, RNA, short for ribonucleic acid, has had to lurk in the shadows while its bigger sibling, DNA, short for deoxyribonucleic acid, takes up the spotlight. Yet RNA deserves to be celebrated for the many roles it plays in biology: Genes encoded in DNA are transcribed into strands of messenger RNA, which are then translated into proteins. RNA can also act like an enzyme, knock down gene expression, and guide CRISPR’s molecular scissors. It serves as the primary genetic material for some of the deadliest viruses on the planet and the primary ingredient in vaccines to combat those viruses.

That versatility is RNA’s biggest strength as well as its most glaring weakness when it comes to public perception. It has been hard for RNA to become part of the nonscientific zeitgeist when the public can’t pin down what it does.

DNA doesn’t have this problem. People get what DNA is, and the polymer has become part of our popular culture. Grammy Award–winning musician Kendrick Lamar’s 2017 track “DNA” peaked 4th on the US Billboard Hot 100 and is the first non-sponsored result when searching DNA on YouTube. With bravado, he raps that loyalty and hustle are a part of his DNA, and while those traits may not be genetically inherited, the sentiment that DNA contains parts of ourselves is accurate enough for public appreciation.

But outside a high school biology class, most nonscientists probably first became aware of RNA in the context of the COVID-19 vaccines. And that lack of awareness of RNA played into some examples of vaccine resistance. Some who opposed the vaccines latched onto RNA’s perceived newness in the vaccine space to cause skepticism and panic, even though RNA-based vaccines existed well before COVID-19. The general public began to view RNA as a biotech molecule, requiring scrutiny, and not simply a biological molecule, foundational to all life.

In the face of rampant misinformation, RNA now has a full-blown public relations crisis. And thus RNA Day has taken on increased importance. Yet a crisis like this is not what these commemorative days are equipped to handle. RNA Day celebrations, which consist mostly of academic seminars and RNA-themed cakes posted to social media, cater to a niche audience of folks – those who already care deeply about this incredible molecule.

That doesn’t mean RNA Day is a farce; in fact, quite the contrary. RNA Day presents an opportunity to motivate a community of experts to reach out to the greater public. Celebrations of RNA Day must include programming that emphasizes ways to take a fascination of RNA outside the ivory tower. At C&EN, RNA Day is an opportunity to show our audience why this molecule deserves some more love.

We shouldn’t expect that more expansive celebrations of RNA Day will lead to RNA being featured on Taylor Swift’s next single. But if enough folks start talking about it, the public might be more willing to appreciate RNA as an integral part of life on Earth as we know it.

This editorial is the result of collective deliberation in C&EN. For this week’s editorial, lead contributors are Max Barnhart and Laura Howes.

Views expressed on this page are not necessarily those of ACS.