As a field, glycoscience—the study of the carbohydrates and sugar-coated molecules found in every living organism—is in the midst of a renaissance that could reshape scientists' understanding of the building blocks of life and the drivers of disease. An MIT News explainer gives a taste of the sweet science pursued around campus, including research into glycans’ critical roles in normal and cancer biology by KI investigators Laura Kiessling, Tobi Oni, and Jessica Stark.