James D. Watson, whose co-discovery of the twisted-ladder structure of DNA in 1953 helped revolutionize medicine, crime fighting, genealogy, and ethics, has died at the age of 97.
Watson's groundbreaking discovery with Francis Crick and Maurice Wilkins earned him the Nobel Prize in 1962, establishing him as a distinguished figure in the scientific community. However, his later years were overshadowed by controversy due to offensive remarks about race, which led to professional censure and tarnished his reputation.
The double helix discovery illustrated how hereditary information is stored and replicated, leading to advancements in genetic research, including gene editing and forensic DNA analysis. It also sparked a bevy of ethical discussions about genetic manipulation and its implications in society.
Despite the criticisms, Watson continued to contribute to science, advocating for genetic research projects, motivated partly by personal experiences with family health issues.
His legacy remains complex; while he achieved remarkable scientific feats, his controversial views have drawn both admiration and condemnation, highlighting the duality of a mind that made one of the century's greatest discoveries while struggling with the social implications of his work.
