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 63
... answer was . For months both Max and Bragg had been after him to work out the helical theory , but he had not moved into action . Now , with the additional pressure from Francis , he too began seriously to ponder how the equations ...
... answer was . For months both Max and Bragg had been after him to work out the helical theory , but he had not moved into action . Now , with the additional pressure from Francis , he too began seriously to ponder how the equations ...
Page 66
... answer . The next morning he arrived in the lab and told Max and John about his success . A few minutes later , Bill Cochran walked into his office , and Francis started to repeat the story . But before he could let loose his argument ...
... answer . The next morning he arrived in the lab and told Max and John about his success . A few minutes later , Bill Cochran walked into his office , and Francis started to repeat the story . But before he could let loose his argument ...
Page 85
... answer . After Sunday supper he had again run through the dilemma but saw no quick answer . The problem was then put aside for a rapid scanning of a novel on the sexual misjudgments of Cambridge dons . The book had its brief good ...
... answer . After Sunday supper he had again run through the dilemma but saw no quick answer . The problem was then put aside for a rapid scanning of a novel on the sexual misjudgments of Cambridge dons . The book had its brief good ...
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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