James Watson, the scientist who co-discovered the structure of DNA, dies

2025-11-07 21:24:05Kosova&Bota SHKRUAR NGA REDAKSIA VOX
James Watson, the scientist who co-discovered the structure of DNA, dies
James D. Watson

James D. Watson, the prominent but controversial American biologist, has died at the age of 97.

In 1953 Watson discovered the structure of DNA, the molecule of heredity, which marked the beginning of the era of genetics and laid the foundation for the biotechnology revolution at the end of the 20th century.

His death was confirmed by the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory on Long Island, where he worked for many years. The New York Times reported that Watson died this week in a Long Island hospital.

Watson has a long history of making racist statements and expressing a belief that there are genetic differences in intelligence between races. These comments led his former institution, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL), to strip him of all his honorary degrees in 2019.

In a 2007 interview with The Sunday Times, Watson stated that he was "essentially gloomy about Africa's prospects" because "all social policies are based on the fact that their intelligence is the same as ours - when all the tests show that it is not."


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