Nobel Laureate James Watson, Co-discoverer of DNA Structure, Passes Away at 97

Nobel Prize-winning molecular biologist James Watson, who co-discovered the double-helix structure of DNA alongside Francis Crick, passed away at the age of 97.

Landmark Discovery

• In 1953, Watson and Crick unveiled the double-helix model of DNA, a discovery that revolutionised molecular biology.
• The work, supported by Rosalind Franklin’s X-ray diffraction images, earned Watson, Crick, and Maurice Wilkins the 1962 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine.

Career and Legacy

• Born in Chicago in 1928, Watson studied at the University of Chicago and pursued research at Cambridge University, where the DNA breakthrough occurred.
• He later taught at Harvard University and led the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, transforming it into a premier genetics research institution.

Later Life & Controversies

• In 2014, Watson sold his Nobel medal for $4.8 million, citing his ostracism from the scientific community.
• Despite later controversies, his pioneering role in decoding the molecular basis of life remains one of the most significant achievements in science.