James Watson Essay

Over the course of the modern age, the human body was still a mystery waiting to be solved. The body contains secrets one can only hope to discover. Over the twentieth century, scientists tried to understand one of the most complex concepts in the biological field. DNA (Deoxyribonucleic acid) was at the forefront of research. Several theories claimed to have solved the structural concept of DNA. However, it was not until Francis Crick and James D. Watson discovered the true structure, the double helix. However, many potential models of DNA had passed through the biology field until eventual lose of credibility. The past models would contain a fixed detail that would make the entire concept invalid. In James D. Watson book, The Double Helix, he illustrates his path amid incorrect theories until he reaches the model that is taught around the world today.

2. What role did James Watson & Francis Crick play in our understanding of DNA’s structure? They discovered the 3D structure.

James Watson is an extremely famous molecular biologist, zoologist and geneticist. He is best known for his co- discovery of DNA with fellow scientists Rosalind Franklin and Francis Crick.

TUCSON, Ariz. – Instruments are the first thing to greet a person entering the room. A piano sits by the window, a saxophone close by – and Brice Winston, a jazz musician and educator, sits on the couch, a painting as soulful as the music he plays hanging on the wall behind him.

At an early age of 16, Morgan attended the State College of Kentucky in the Preparatory Department finishing with a bachelor in science. Morgan was very involved in his field of study and worked with U.S. Geological Survey and at the Marine Biology School in Annisquam, Massachusetts during the summers. After graduation he continued

James Watson was born in Chicago Illinois, on April 6, 1928. During his early years, James attended Horace Mann Grammar School, and later on to South Shore High School before earning himself a scholarship to the University of Chicago at just age 15. (Watson, James Biography 4) Watson is 89 years of age and is still living in his home state of Illinois, and is happily married to his wife Elizabeth, who together, are celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary (Cash, Nelson 2)

Also he helped with mapping cancer to help people or warn others, so they will be able to find if they have it. James helped out everyone on this planet and those who are sick or are sick but don’t know it. To be recognized in the scientific community you have to do something amazing. Crick and James Watson's first look toward taking in the structure of DNA missed the goal, but their second look took place in the spring 1953 and brought about the match of the ladder helical look. Which takes after a stepping stool. Their model added how the DNA particle could copy itself. Watson and Crick had looked the work of English scientist Rosalind Franklin, a partner of Maurice Wilkins' at King's College London, to land at their noteworthy disclosure, notwithstanding, her commitment to their discoveries would go generally unrecognized until after her she died. Franklin had made a few unpublished working papers talking about the basic characteristics of DNA, and with her understudy Raymond Gosling had taken a X-ray diffraction picture of DNA, known as Photo 51, which would get to be urgent proof in recognizing the structure of

James D Watson was a brilliant scientist who made important discoveries about the structure of DNA and genealogy. James was very intelligent from the beginning. He graduated from high school at the age of 15 and immediately after he enrolled at the University of Chicago. One of his teachers from Chicago said that Watson “must have been very keen”. He said this because he had given him 2 A’s, and “I don’t give very many A’s.” The famous biologist Paul, Weiss, who was James Watson’s instructor, said “Watson never took any notes in class, yet he came out top of the class at the end of the semester. “

The discovery and foundation of the double helix structure of DNA, a hereditary molecular structure, sparked science, scientific research, and the advancement of opportunities. Although this took a lot of effort and time, this breakthrough discovery has changed the subjects of science, chemistry, biology, anatomy, and physics completely around. Although this discovery has prompted science in our world today, little do we know a young man tried to stop this. The Double Helix by James D. Watson tells us the story of this great discovery throughout our history. Throughout this book there is so many key relevant topics that I can

James Watson was the founder of the DNA molecule which means that without him discovering that the scientist today wouldn’t be able to manipulate DNA . James Watson was someone open minded because when he was a kid, he would learn from his mistakes because he liked the subject science. In addition, when he was at school, he would like to listen to everyone and what they said about his mistakes he would improve and make sure that he wouldn’t make the same mistakes. During school, he would think about other people’s perspectives on the same subject they were learning in. After that, he went further with his studies and he went to the Indiana University and did really well as a student because when he was in Chicago he got a B.Sc degree in zoology

Scientist in early 1950s James Watson a biologist from Indiana University and Francis Crick a physicist were working at lab to discover the structure of DNA. The primary technique for structural analysis of biological molecules is X-rays. The wave length of X-ray is about the same as the space between the atoms in crystal matters. We learn and know that genetic information was carried on chromosomes made up of DNA and protein. Maurice decided and taken the first x-ray picture of DNA that lead him to suggest the DNA structure might be a helix. Watson was able to rely on Wilkins' research. If he had not, he may have not been the one to discover the structure of DNA. The biggest thing I learned from my research is that scientists can’t make discoveries

"The discovery of the structure by Crick and Watson, with all its biological implications, has been one of the major scientific events of this century." (Bragg, The Double Helix, p1) In the story of The Double Helix, James Watson tells of the road that led to the discovery of life's basic building block-DNA. This autobiography gives insight into science and the workings within a professional research laboratory that few members of society will ever be able to experience. It also gives the reader an idea of the reality of life for one scientist and how he struggled with the problem of DNA. However, the author's style is marked by his lack of objectivity and inclusion of many biased opinions and personal

As Watson and Crick become a few steps away from discovering DNA’s structure, the actions they take are arguably justifiable and they realize the significance of this rivalry. After Maurice Wilkins, who works in the same lab as Franklin, gave away Franklin’s work to Watson, and notes: “…that if we could all agree where science was going, everything would be solved,” (170). Maurice brings a good point; if they worked together, DNA’s structure could have been discovered sooner as well as other important mysteries of science. However, certain events would not have occurred and there is an equal chance nothing would have been uncovered. As everything falls into place, every action taken in order for Watson and Crick to reach the answer is reasonable considering that it lead to biology’s greatest structures. In the end, Watson, Crick, and Wilkins receives the Nobel Prize but the reality of what they did to get there is not as straightforward.

Although DNA was initially observed by Frederich Miescher, a German biochemist near the end of the nineteenth century, the key to the structure of DNA was not discovered until almost a hundred years later. It was at that time that science realized the importance of DNA to the study of biology.

Rosalind Franklin’s work on DNA was crucial in discovering the composition of the human body as a whole. Her x-ray photo revealed a double helix structure and she also discovered the A and B form of DNA. She worked through the adversity of being a female in a predominately male dominated realm and made remarkable findings that were eventually stolen. She adapted to a new lab with antiquated technology. Before this discovery, the structure of DNA was thought to be simple. Scientist, Watson and Crick, started with the wrong structure of DNA from a misinterpretation of notes from one of Franklin’s presentations. Unlike Watson and Crick, Rosalind Franklin could explain DNA and how it worked.