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When it's completely unraveled, DNA is known to extend approximately six feet in length, yet is somehow able to cram itself into a cell's nucleus. In a study published today (July 27) in Science, researchers created a novel visualization method that revealed a 3-D glimpse of chromatin as it sits jam-packed within the nuclei of human cells. The researchers found that, contrary to how it's depicted in most textbooks, chromatin does not fold in on itself in an organized manner to create distinct structures. Instead, it forms a pliable, inconsistent chain characterized by a wide variety of folding patterns.