Updated

Researchers accidentally discovered a previously unknown protist from an Oxford pond with a genetic code that breaks what was thought to be a near-universal rule of life: the organism uses two genetic stop signals to encode entirely different amino acids instead of ending genes. The discovery was made while testing a new DNA sequencing technique. The finding challenges long-held assumptions about the evolution and universality of the genetic code, potentially opening new avenues for research into genetic diversity and the fundamental rules governing life.