By: The Trek News Desk
James D. Watson, the American biologist who co-discovered the double-helix structure of DNA and won the Nobel Prize for his groundbreaking work, has passed away at the age of 97. His death was confirmed by the Cold Spring Harbour Laboratory, the institution where he spent much of his scientific career.
In 1953, working alongside British scientist Francis Crick, Watson unveiled the double-helix model of DNA, a revelation that became one of the defining scientific milestones of the 20th century. The discovery paved the way for modern genetics, revolutionising biology, medicine, and our understanding of life itself.
Watson, Crick, and Maurice Wilkins shared the 1962 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for this discovery. At the time, Watson and Crick famously declared, “We have discovered the secret of life.”
However, the scientist’s later years were marred by controversy. Watson drew widespread criticism for his remarks linking race and intelligence, comments condemned as racist and unscientific by peers and institutions alike. Following his 2007 interview with The Times of London, in which he questioned the intelligence of Africans, he was removed from his position as chancellor at Cold Spring Harbour Laboratory.
Further remarks made in 2019 led the laboratory to revoke his honorary titles, including Chancellor Emeritus and Oliver R. Grace Professor Emeritus, stating that his views were “reprehensible and unsupported by science.”
A Breakthrough Rooted in Rivalry and Secrecy
The story of DNA’s discovery remains one of the most dramatic chapters in scientific history. While DNA was first identified in 1869, its structure eluded scientists for decades. Watson and Crick built their model using X-ray diffraction images produced by Rosalind Franklin at King’s College London, data obtained without her explicit permission. Franklin’s crucial role in the discovery was only recognised years after her death.
In 2014, Watson auctioned his Nobel Prize medal for $4.8 million, explaining that he felt ostracised by the scientific community. Russian billionaire Alisher Usmanov, who bought the medal, later returned it to him in an extraordinary gesture of respect.
Born in Chicago in 1928, Watson showed prodigious academic talent, winning a scholarship to the University of Chicago at just 15. His fascination with biology and X-ray diffraction led him to Cambridge University, where he met Crick, his future research partner.
He later joined Harvard University as a professor and eventually became director of the Cold Spring Harbour Laboratory, transforming it into one of the world’s leading molecular biology research centres.
Though his later comments cast a shadow over his reputation, Watson’s scientific achievements remain foundational. His work on the structure of DNA reshaped modern biology, offering humanity a deeper understanding of the very code of life.
Source: News Agencies
