Home / Science / Pioneering Biologist James Watson, Co-Discoverer of DNA Structure, Dies at 97
Pioneering Biologist James Watson, Co-Discoverer of DNA Structure, Dies at 97
10 Nov
Summary
- Paris police arrest 5 more suspects in $102M Louvre jewel heist, DNA links one
- James Watson, co-discoverer of DNA structure, dies at 97 on Long Island
- Watson's later years tarnished by controversial comments on genetics and race
In a major development in the $102 million Louvre jewel heist, Paris police have arrested five more suspects, with DNA evidence linking one of them to the crime scene. This latest development comes as the world mourns the passing of renowned biologist James Watson, who co-discovered the structure of DNA in 1953, ushering in the age of genetics and the biotechnology revolution.
Watson, who died at the age of 97 on Long Island, was a brilliant but controversial figure. While his 1953 discovery with Francis Crick won him a Nobel Prize and laid the foundation for modern genetics, Watson's later years were marred by his outspoken and widely criticized comments on genetics and race. In 2007, he was forced to retire from his post as chancellor of New York's Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory after suggesting that the intelligence of Africans was "not really... the same as ours."
Despite these controversies, Watson's impact on science remains undeniable. His 1968 memoir, "The Double Helix," provided a racy, behind-the-scenes account of the race to uncover the structure of DNA, a breakthrough that enabled researchers to trace evolution, understand human history, and better treat a vast number of diseases.
