❓WHAT HAPPENED: James D. Watson, co-discoverer of the DNA double helix structure, has died at the age of 97.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: James D. Watson, Francis Crick, and Maurice Wilkins were key figures in the discovery of DNA’s structure.
📍WHEN & WHERE: Watson passed away in hospice care on November 6, 2025, following a brief illness.
💬KEY QUOTE: “Francis Crick and I made the discovery of the century, that was pretty clear,” Watson once said.
🎯IMPACT: Watson’s work revolutionized science, medicine, and genetics, but he became an early victim of “cancel culture” after making comments on race and IQ.
The man who co-discovered the double-helix structure of DNA has died at the age of 97. James D. Watson, who won the Nobel Prize with fellow scientists Francis Crick and Maurice Wilkins in 1962, was widely known as one of the founding fathers of modern genetics.
Watson’s discovery opened the door to advancements in genetics, including DNA-based crime-solving, genealogy, and medical treatments. He later became a prominent figure in the Human Genome Project, which aimed to map the complete human DNA sequence. Watson’s scientific career included teaching at Harvard and directing the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, where he transformed it into a leading research institution.
However, he became an early victim of “cancel culture” later in his career. In 2007, aged 79, he faced backlash for comments about race and intelligence, saying he was “inherently gloomy about the prospect of Africa” because “all our social policies are based on the fact that their intelligence is the same as ours, whereas all the testing says not really.”
This led to his suspension and eventual “retirement” from Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory. Despite initially apologizing, in a 2019 interview, aged 90, Watson reaffirmed his views on race, reiterating that “there’s a difference on the average between blacks and whites on IQ tests. I would say the difference is, it’s genetic.” This prompted the lab to revoke his honorary titles and denounce his statements as “reprehensible.”
Despite this controversy, Watson’s scientific achievements remain significant. “Francis Crick and I made the discovery of the century, that was pretty clear,” Watson once remarked of their work on DNA.
Watson’s son, Duncan Watson, said his father “never stopped fighting for people who were suffering from disease.” Watson’s initial motivation for supporting genetic research was personal, as he hoped it would help his son Rufus, who had been diagnosed with schizophrenia. Watson passed away on November 6, 2025, in hospice care after a brief illness.
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