US geneticist James Watson, co-discoverer of DNA who was stripped of scientific titles, dies
Kyiv • UNN
American geneticist James Watson died at the age of 97 in East Northport. He was one of the discoverers of the structure of DNA in 1953 and a Nobel laureate in 1962.
American geneticist James Watson, one of the discoverers of the DNA structure, has died at the age of 97. This is reported by UNN with reference to The New York Times.
Details
It is noted that James D. Watson, who made history in science at the age of 25 by participating in the discovery of the DNA double helix, died on Thursday in East Northport, New York, on Long Island, at the age of 97.
His son Duncan confirmed the death on Friday, November 7, noting that James Watson had been transferred from the hospital to hospice this week after being treated for an infection.
In 1953, James Watson, together with Francis Crick, established the structure of DNA, and in 1962, they, along with Maurice Wilkins, received the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for this. This discovery is considered one of the most significant scientific achievements of the 20th century.
Dr. Watson gained prominence in 1953 when biologists concluded that DNA was key to genetic inheritance but could not precisely explain what it looked like, how its information was stored, how this information was passed from generation to generation, and how it controlled the work of genes in cells.
In 2007, Watson became the second person in the world whose DNA was fully deciphered.
At the same time, he was known for scandalous statements about racial differences, which led to his dismissal and loss of scientific titles.
Recall
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