NEW YORK, United States — James Watson, the American molecular biologist who helped unlock the structure of DNA and reshaped modern genetics, has died at the age of 97, the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL) confirmed to the BBC.
Watson, along with British scientist Francis Crick, discovered the double-helix structure of DNA in 1953. This breakthrough revolutionized biology and paved the way for genetic engineering, biotechnology, and the Human Genome Project.
The pair shared the 1962 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine with Maurice Wilkins for their discovery.
“We have discovered the secret of life,” Watson famously declared after their findings were published.
However, his later years were marred by controversy following a series of racist and sexist remarks that tarnished his scientific legacy. In a 2007 interview with The Times, Watson suggested differences in intelligence between races, comments widely condemned as unsupported by science.
The fallout led to his removal as chancellor of Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, where he had worked for decades. Further remarks in 2019 reiterating similar claims prompted the lab to strip him of all honorary titles, saying his statements were “reprehensible.”
Born in Chicago in April 1928, Watson entered the University of Chicago at just 15, later joining Cambridge University, where he met Crick. Using X-ray images captured by Rosalind Franklin—reportedly without her knowledge—the duo built a 3D model revealing DNA’s twisting ladder-like form.
Their discovery remains one of the greatest scientific achievements of the 20th century, providing the foundation for fields ranging from genetic medicine to forensic science.
A sense of alienation from the scientific community marked Watson’s later years. In 2014, he sold his Nobel medal for $4.8 million, saying he felt ostracised — only for the buyer, a Russian billionaire, to return it to him.
Watson is survived by his wife, Elizabeth, and their two sons.
