Geneticist James Dewey Watson, famous for co-discovering the double helix structure of DNA, alongside his partner Francis Crick, died Thursday in hospice at age 97. The scientist, who won the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for his discovery in 1964, also served for years as the director of the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, which he helped to make into an internationally renowned molecular biology research center.
During his time at Cold Spring Harbor he ultimately served in a variety of roles, including president, chancellor and chancellor emeritus until 2017.
Watson's discovery was an enormous breakthrough in a wide range of sciences, from genetics to medicine to zoology. In addition, he wrote several scientific books and textbooks throughout his life, as well as a best-selling memoir "The Double Helix: A Personal Account of the Discovery of the Structure of DNA."
However, Watson's reputation suffered later in life due to his outspoken views on race and genetics, specifically that race had an impact on intelligence. Following a 2018 television documentary of his views on race, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory revoked his remaining honors and cut ties with him.
