By convention, the polymerases on the two strands were expected to process the DNA at the same speed. However, the study showed that the polymerases on the two strands moved at different speeds. Sometimes, replication on one of the strands would continue while synthesis on the other strand stopped or the two strands were copied at different speeds. This suggests that the two strands are not in coordination and DNA replication is likely a process of random starts, stops and differing speeds of the processing enzymes. Kowalczykowski explains it with a metaphor—traffic on a highway. “Sometimes the traffic in the next lane is moving faster and passing you, and then you pass it. But if you travel far enough you get to the same place at the same time.” Interestingly, the helicase seemed to have an internal brake where it would slow down when the two strands are copied at different speeds to prevent damaging single-stranded DNA, which can be attacked by other enzymes.