The Double Helix: A Personal Account of the Discovery of the Structure of DNAThe classic personal account of Watson and Crick’s groundbreaking discovery of the structure of DNA, now with an introduction by Sylvia Nasar, author of A Beautiful Mind. By identifying the structure of DNA, the molecule of life, Francis Crick and James Watson revolutionized biochemistry and won themselves a Nobel Prize. At the time, Watson was only twenty-four, a young scientist hungry to make his mark. His uncompromisingly honest account of the heady days of their thrilling sprint against other world-class researchers to solve one of science’s greatest mysteries gives a dazzlingly clear picture of a world of brilliant scientists with great gifts, very human ambitions, and bitter rivalries. With humility unspoiled by false modesty, Watson relates his and Crick’s desperate efforts to beat Linus Pauling to the Holy Grail of life sciences, the identification of the basic building block of life. Never has a scientist been so truthful in capturing in words the flavor of his work. |
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Page 58
... Francis had to wait until the following morning . Unfortunately , this delay did not make the confrontation any more successful . Sir Lawrence flatly denied prior knowledge of Francis ' efforts and was thoroughly insulted by the ...
... Francis had to wait until the following morning . Unfortunately , this delay did not make the confrontation any more successful . Sir Lawrence flatly denied prior knowledge of Francis ' efforts and was thoroughly insulted by the ...
Page 63
... Francis ' frequent ventures into theory . When Bill told Francis that an idea was unsound or would lead nowhere , Francis could be sure that professional jealousy was not involved . This time , however , Bill did not voice skepticism ...
... Francis ' frequent ventures into theory . When Bill told Francis that an idea was unsound or would lead nowhere , Francis could be sure that professional jealousy was not involved . This time , however , Bill did not voice skepticism ...
Page 93
... Francis . This was his day , and after they came in to greet Maurice they both pleaded pressure of their work to retire behind the closed doors of their joint office . Before the delegation's ar- rival , Francis and I had agreed to ...
... Francis . This was his day , and after they came in to greet Maurice they both pleaded pressure of their work to retire behind the closed doors of their joint office . Before the delegation's ar- rival , Francis and I had agreed to ...
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Common terms and phrases
a-helix adenine answer argument arranged arrival atoms bacterial base pairs biochemistry biological Cal Tech Cambridge Cavendish chains Chargaff's Chargaff's rules chemical chemistry chemists College conversation Copenhagen crystallographic crystals cytosine Delbrück dinner DNA molecule DNA structure double helix Elizabeth existed experimental experiments fact fellowship Francis Crick genes genetic geneticists girls Griffith guanine Herman hope Hugh Huxley hydrogen bonds idea immediately important ions John Kendrew keto King's knew large number letter Linus Pauling London look lunch Luria manuscript Maurice Wilkins Maurice's Max and John Max Perutz ment model building molecular Moreover morning never Nonetheless nucleic acids nucleotides Odile Pauling's Perutz Peter phage phosphate groups polynucleotide Pop's possibility problem protein purine purine and pyrimidine pyrimidine quickly realized reason Rosalind Franklin Rosy Rosy's scientific solve soon sugar sugar-phosphate backbone talk tautomeric forms tell thought thymine tion told walked wanted Watson week X-ray photograph X-ray pictures