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James Watson, the American molecular biologist who co-discovered the double-helix structure of DNA, has died at the age of 97. His passing on November 6, 2025, marks the end of an era for a scientist whose work fundamentally changed our understanding of life itself. The landmark scientific achievement made him a towering figure in 20th-century science, though his later life was mired in controversy.
Watson is celebrated for the 1953 discovery he made at Cambridge University alongside his colleague Francis Crick. Their simple but elegant model of DNA as a twisted ladder unlocked the secrets of heredity and gene function. This breakthrough in understanding DNA's stucture, published in the journal Nature, paved the way for the entire field of molecular biology and its applications in medicine, crime-fighting, and genealogy. This work earned Watson, Crick, and Maurice Wilkins the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1962.
The discovery, however, was not without ethical debate. It relied heavily on the work of chemist Rosalind Franklin, whose X-ray diffraction image known as “Photo 51” provided the crucial evidence for the helical structure. Franklin, who died of cancer in 1958, was not awarded the Nobel Prize, as it is not given posthumously. Her uncredited contribution has since become a central part of the story, highlighting the overlooked roles of women in science.
In his later years, Watson’s formidable reputation was severely damaged by a series of offensive and scientifically unfounded public statements on race, intelligence, and gender. His repeated remarks led to widespread condemnation. In response, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, the prominent research institution he led for decades, was ultimately forced to sever its ties with him. The lab condemned his remarks as “unsubstantiated and reckless” and stripped him of all his honorary titles in 2019.
James Watson leaves behind a complex and dual legacy. He was a visionary scientist whose discovery illuminated the very code of life, yet his final decades were overshadowed by racist and sexist views that alienated him from the scientific community he helped to build.
