...also known as graduate school. ;-)

Seriously, though, my wife used to work with alternative RNA bases. Localizing them to specific sequences required the most massive sequencing gels I've seen (at least 1m tall), and every surface in the lab had to be continually rinsed with dilute acid. It turns out, human skin contains bucket-loads of non-specific RNAses. Not a problem for most people who work with DNA, but can absolutely ruin a week or more's worth of work if you're in an RNA lab.

The best way to think about life is: RNA is one true source of life activity. Everything else: DNA, proteins, carbohydrates and membranes are just things that RNA decorates itself with to minimize degradation by other RNAs, which are trying their best to cut your RNA into little pieces.

That's why you have to be so careful: life tries very hard to keep the wrong RNAs out.

DNA is the hereditary material, RNA isn't "decorating itself" with DNA.

You're taking my use of the term decorating too literally. In the case of DNA I meant that RNA likely began to delegate the heredity function to DNA since it was much polymers were more stable at room temperature and it was less likely to form complex 3D structures.

agreed- DNA is a puppet, RNA is the puppet master.