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 13
... thought about deoxyribonucleic acid ( DNA ) and its role in heredity . This was not because he thought it uninteresting . Quite the contrary . A ma- jor factor in his leaving physics and developing an in- terest in biology had been the ...
... thought about deoxyribonucleic acid ( DNA ) and its role in heredity . This was not because he thought it uninteresting . Quite the contrary . A ma- jor factor in his leaving physics and developing an in- terest in biology had been the ...
Page 42
... thought myself very lucky when I found a room in a two - story house on Jesus Green , a superb location less than ten minutes ' walk from the lab . The following morning I went back to the Caven- dish , since Max wanted me to meet Sir ...
... thought myself very lucky when I found a room in a two - story house on Jesus Green , a superb location less than ten minutes ' walk from the lab . The following morning I went back to the Caven- dish , since Max wanted me to meet Sir ...
Page 66
... thought more about his 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 ...
... thought more about his 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 ...
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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