James D. Watson


Born
in Chicago, The United States
April 06, 1928

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Influences


In 1928, James D. Watson was born in Chicago. Watson, who co-discovered the double helix structure of DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) at age 25, was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1962, along with Francis Crick and Maurice Wilkins. His bird-watching hobby prompted his interest in genetics. He earned his B.Sc. degree in zoology from the University of Chicago in 1947, and his Ph.D. from Indiana University in Bloomington in 1950. He worked with Wilkins and Francis Crick at Cavendish Laboratory in England in 1951-1953, when they discovered the structure of DNA. Watson became a member of the Harvard Biology Department in 1956, then a full professor in 1961. His book The Double Helix, which was published in 1968, became a bestse ...more

Average rating: 3.86 · 24,318 ratings · 1,513 reviews · 81 distinct worksSimilar authors
The Double Helix

3.84 avg rating — 19,536 ratings — published 1968 — 213 editions
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DNA: The Secret of Life

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4.11 avg rating — 2,795 ratings — published 2002 — 46 editions
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Avoid Boring People: Lesson...

3.21 avg rating — 687 ratings — published 2007 — 10 editions
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Molecular Biology of the Gene

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4.14 avg rating — 465 ratings — published 1965 — 81 editions
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DNA: The Story of the Genet...

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4.25 avg rating — 320 ratings — published 2017 — 8 editions
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Genes, Girls, and Gamow: Af...

3.23 avg rating — 183 ratings — published 2001 — 20 editions
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Recombinant DNA

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4.21 avg rating — 48 ratings18 editions
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A Passion for DNA: Genes, G...

3.50 avg rating — 56 ratings — published 1999 — 16 editions
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Darwin: The Indelible Stamp

4.33 avg rating — 43 ratings — published 2005 — 10 editions
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Ikili Sarmal

3.59 avg rating — 22 ratings
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Quotes by James D. Watson  (?)
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“Every time you understand something, religion becomes less likely. Only with the discovery of the double helix and the ensuing genetic revolution have we had grounds for thinking that the powers held traditionally to be the exclusive property of the gods might one day be ours. . . .”
James D. Watson

“[When asked by a student if he believes in any gods]

Oh, no. Absolutely not... The biggest advantage to believing in God is you don't have to understand anything, no physics, no biology. I wanted to understand.”
James D. Watson

“One could not be a successful scientist without realizing that , in contrast to the popular conception supported by newspapers and mothers of scientists, a goodly number of scientists are not only narrow-minded and dull, but also just stupid.”
James D. Watson, The Double Helix

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