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 15
... play would not allow Francis to move in on Maurice's problem . In France , where * A division of the University of London , not to be con- fused with King's College , Cambridge . fair play obviously did not exist , these problems would 15.
... play would not allow Francis to move in on Maurice's problem . In France , where * A division of the University of London , not to be con- fused with King's College , Cambridge . fair play obviously did not exist , these problems would 15.
Page 24
... problem on which he was then working ( the metabolism of nucleotides ) would lead to anything of immediate interest to genet- ics . There was also the fact that , though Herman was obviously civilized , it was impossible to understand ...
... problem on which he was then working ( the metabolism of nucleotides ) would lead to anything of immediate interest to genet- ics . There was also the fact that , though Herman was obviously civilized , it was impossible to understand ...
Page 49
... problems . No one should mind if , by spending only a few hours a week thinking about DNA , he helped me solve a smashingly important problem . As a consequence , John Kendrew soon realized that I was unlikely to help him solve the ...
... problems . No one should mind if , by spending only a few hours a week thinking about DNA , he helped me solve a smashingly important problem . As a consequence , John Kendrew soon realized that I was unlikely to help him solve the ...
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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