Scientists are reporting evidence that intact, double-stranded DNA has the “amazing” ability to recognize identical nucleotide sequences in other DNA strands from a distance of more than one nanometer of water.

This recognition may help increase the accuracy and efficiency of the homologous recombination of genes — a process responsible for DNA repair, evolution, and genetic diversity. The new findings thus may shed light on ways to avoid recombination errors, which underpin cancer, aging, and other health problems.