James Watson, the Nobel laureate who discovered the double helix of DNA, dies

He had just turned 34 when his name appeared on one of science's most prestigious lists: the Nobel Prize in Medicine. Since then, he has gone down in history as one of the key researchers of the 20th century, both for the discovery of the structure of DNA and for his leadership of the Human Genome Project (1988-1992). This week, at the age of 97, the American biophysicist James D. Watson passed away in a New York medical center from undisclosed causes, as confirmed by his son. New York TimesWatson, who was born on April 6, 1928, in Chicago, was a gifted child. He entered the University of Chicago at age 15 in a program for exceptionally talented students and studied zoology. He later earned a doctorate in genetics from Indiana University, and in 1951 moved to the United Kingdom to work at the Cavendish Laboratory at the University of Cambridge, where he met the British biologist and university professor Francis Crick. It was at that time and in that laboratory that the collaboration began which led them both to decode DNA, the genetic blueprint of life. Just two years after joining forces, Crick and Watson published an article in the journal Nature proposing that deoxyribonucleic acid has a double helix structure. That is, it is formed by two chains that coil around a common axis, forming a twisted ladder. This discovery was a fundamental milestone in molecular biology, as it proposed for the first time how genetic information is copied and transmitted from one generation to the next. The Nobel Prize committee in Medicine recognized the two researchers for this discovery in 1962 "for their discoveries concerning the molecular structure of nucleic acids and their significance for the transfer of information in living matter." A controversial legacy

Throughout his life, Watson was a member of the faculty at Harvard University (1956-1976) and spearheaded the molecular biology program there. In fact, he completely overhauled the curriculum to include DNA, RNA, and protein synthesis. Simultaneously, in 1968, he was appointed director of Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL) and transformed this small research center into a global epicenter of genetics. His contribution to the understanding of genetic material marked a turning point in modern biology, but his career was also marred by controversies and contentious remarks. As a professor, he was feared for his direct and competitive style, and his personality was as brilliant as it was provocative. In his later years, Watson made controversial statements against gender, homophobic remarks, and racist comments that drew almost universal condemnation from the academic world.

For example, in 2019 he claimed that "there is an average difference between whites and blacks on IQ tests" and that this difference is "genetic." As a result of this scandal, he lost several honorary degrees, and the scientific community was quick to clarify that the differences between human groups on a genetic scale are minimal, since more than 99.9% of the genome is shared by all human beings, and that intellectual performance is much more related to social, economic, and educational factors.

In 2014, Watson surprised the world when he auctioned his Nobel medal for $4.1 million, making him the first living laureate to do so. He donated part of the money to scientific institutions. Five years later, he suffered a car accident that caused brain injuries, and he withdrew completely from public life.