James Watson, DNA co-discoverer and Nobel laureate, dies at 97

James Watson, DNA co-discoverer and Nobel laureate, dies at 97

James Watson, the American scientist who co-discovered the double-helix structure of DNA in 1953 and later faced widespread condemnation for controversial remarks on race and gender, has died at age 97. His death was confirmed by Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, where he spent decades as a researcher before resigning amid backlash over his statements.

The DNA breakthrough

Watson, alongside British scientist Francis Crick, unveiled the double-helix model of DNA in 1953-a landmark achievement that revolutionized molecular biology. The discovery, which built on X-ray crystallography work by Rosalind Franklin, earned Watson, Crick, and Maurice Wilkins the 1962 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. "We have discovered the secret of life," they famously declared.

Franklin's critical contributions were initially overlooked, though she has since been posthumously recognized for her pivotal role. Watson and Crick relied on her unpublished data, obtained without her knowledge, to construct their model.

Controversial legacy

Despite his scientific acclaim, Watson's reputation suffered due to repeated comments linking race to intelligence. In a 2007 interview with The Sunday Times, he claimed genetic differences explained disparities in IQ between Black and white populations, stating he was "inherently gloomy about the prospect of Africa." The remarks led to his resignation as chancellor of Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory. He later apologized but doubled down in 2019, prompting the lab to revoke his remaining honorary titles.

The institution condemned his statements as "reprehensible, unsupported by science." Watson also faced criticism for sexist remarks, including derogatory comments about Franklin in his 1968 memoir, The Double Helix, where he disparaged her appearance and demeanor.

Personal and professional life

Born in Chicago in 1928 to a family of English, Scottish, and Irish descent, Watson showed early academic promise, enrolling at the University of Chicago at 15. His interest in X-ray diffraction-a technique for visualizing molecular structures-led him to Cambridge University, where he met Crick. Together, they built physical models to deduce DNA's shape.

After the Nobel Prize, Watson joined Harvard as a biology professor, where he and his wife, Elizabeth, raised two sons. One son's schizophrenia diagnosis later fueled Watson's research into genetic links to mental illness. In 1968, he became director of Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, transforming it into a leading research center.

Later years and auction of Nobel medal

In 2014, Watson made headlines as the first living Nobel laureate to sell his gold medal, fetching $4.8 million at auction. He cited alienation from the scientific community following his controversial remarks. The buyer, a Russian billionaire, returned the medal to him.

Colleagues noted Watson's paradoxical record: while he mentored female scientists at Harvard during an era of gender exclusion, his public comments often undermined his progressive actions. His death marks the end of a complex legacy-one of groundbreaking discovery overshadowed by persistent controversy.