James Watson, the Nobel Prize-winning co-discoverer of DNA’s double-helix structure, has died at the age of 97, the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory announced Friday. Watson passed away Thursday in hospice care on Long Island, New York.
Watson, along with Francis Crick and Maurice Wilkins, received the 1962 Nobel Prize for their groundbreaking work on DNA, which paved the way for modern genetics, medical advances, forensic DNA testing, and genetically engineered crops. At just 25, Watson played a key role in one of science’s most celebrated discoveries, detailed in his 1968 memoir The Double Helix.
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Despite his scientific acclaim, Watson’s reputation was marred by repeated controversial and racist remarks, including disparagement of female scientists such as Rosalind Franklin, whose critical X-ray diffraction data helped him and Crick model DNA. His comments in 2007 about African intelligence led to his removal from administrative roles and the loss of his public standing.
Born in Chicago in 1928, Watson earned a Ph.D. in zoology from Indiana University Bloomington and went on to teach at Harvard for 15 years. He later directed Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, turning it into a leading molecular biology research center, and played a key role in the Human Genome Project from 1988 to 1992.
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Watson is survived by his two sons, Rufus and Duncan. While the scientific community remembers his monumental contributions to biology, his personal legacy remains controversial due to his divisive remarks and behavior.