An obelisk is a microscopic genetic element that consists of a type of infectious agent composed of RNA. Described as “viroid-like elements”, obelisks consist of RNA in a circular rod shape without any protein shell coating.
Obelisks were identified in 2024 by Ivan Zheludev (Stanford) et al. Their RNA sequences are entirely novel, and their placement within the tree of life remains uncertain as they do not appear to have a shared ancestry with any other life form, virus, or viroid. Obelisks are currently classified as an enigmatic taxon, forming a distinct phylogenetic group.
Read more about Obelisks here.
Since obelisks were discovered in 2024, they are quite new and not much research has been done. I think this makes obelisks the perfect research topic for Eterna. We should get in touch with Zheludev and start a new lab. Let me know what you think
