The Double Helix

by Dr James Watson

Genes controlling the fundamental processes of life, such as the division of cells, are similar even in creatures as distinct as ourselves and yeast.

many of the comments may seem one-sided and unfair, but this is often the case in the incomplete and hurried way in which human beings frequently decide to like or dislike a new idea or acquaintance. In any event, this account represents the way I saw things then, in 1951–3: the ideas, the people, and myself.

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.

The fact that I was unable to interpret it did not bother me. It was certainly better to imagine myself becoming famous than maturing into a stifled academic who had never risked a thought.

the poliomyelitis congress was an unparalleled success. From the moment the several hundred delegates arrived, a profusion of free champagne, partly provided by American dollars, was available to loosen international barriers. Each night for a week there were receptions, dinners, and midnight trips to waterfront bars. It was my first experience of the high life, associated in my mind with decaying European aristocracy. An important truth was slowly entering my head: a scientist’s life might be interesting socially as well as intellectually. I went off to England in excellent spirits.

Sir Lawrence flatly denied prior knowledge of Francis’s efforts and was thoroughly insulted by the implication that he had underhandedly used another scientist’s ideas.

i guess owning IP is important when your income depends on that. not all too different from the world of software where people often want to protect their ideas

some actually wasted their efforts on useless polemics about the origin of life or how we know that a scientific fact is really correct.

The high point in Chargaff’s scorn came when he led Francis into admitting that he did not remember the chemical differences among the four bases. The faux pas slipped out when Francis mentioned Griffith’s calculations. Not remembering which of the bases had amino groups, he could not qualitatively describe the quantum-mechanical argument until he asked Chargaff to write out their formulae. Francis’s subsequent retort that he could always look them up got nowhere in persuading Chargaff that we knew where we were going or how to get there.

Later that night with Peter we would celebrate my birthday. But now I was alone, looking at the long-haired girls near St Germain des Prés and knowing they were not for me. I was twenty-five and too old to be unusual.