Proteins are the molecular machines of life. They fold into complex three-dimensional shapes, like a sheet of paper into origami. But if you fold the paper a bit differently, you get a different figure. Likewise, a protein can take on several forms, and that determines how it works.

Usually, scientists compare proteins by their sequences — chains of amino acids. It's like comparing book texts without looking at the illustrations. But now there's a tool called EMERALD-UI. It shows not only the primary shape of a protein but also alternative versions that hide in "suboptimal" alignments.

It's like looking at the night sky not only through the most powerful telescope but also through a side finder scope: sometimes you see things there that the main lens misses. The tool is free and runs right in your browser.