James Watson, DNA Co-Discoverer, Passes Away
James Watson, the American scientist renowned for co-discovering the DNA double helix and receiving the 1962 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, died on Thursday in East Northport, New York, his son Duncan confirmed. Earlier this week, he was moved from a hospital to hospice care due to an infection.
Scientific Achievement and Early Life
Born on April 6, 1928, in Chicago, Watson shared the Nobel Prize with Francis Crick and Maurice Wilkins for their 1953 model of DNA's double helix, a breakthrough that revolutionized genetics.
Controversies and Professional Fallout
Watson's legacy is tarnished by his controversial remarks on race. In 2007, he resigned from Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL) after suggesting that African intelligence was genetically inferior, statements widely criticized as racist and baseless.
In 2007, Watson told The Times of London, "I believed testing indicated the intelligence of Africans was not really ... the same as ours."
The controversy resurfaced in 2019 when a PBS documentary highlighted his views, prompting CSHL to revoke his honorary titles, including chancellor emeritus and professor emeritus, effective January 1, 2020. Bruce Stillman, director of CSHL, called Watson's opinions "repugnant, unsupported by science," and ended their 40-year association.
Watson responded, saying he "never meant harm."
Financial Decisions
Facing financial difficulties, Watson sold his Nobel medal in 2014 for $4.1 million at Christie's auction to Alisher Usmanov, a Russian billionaire and metals tycoon.
Summary
James Watson’s groundbreaking DNA discovery remains a cornerstone in science, yet his career was overshadowed by racist remarks that led to his professional disgrace and the loss of honorary titles.
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