James Watson, who co-discovered DNA double helix, dies at 97

Scientist James Watson, whose research on the structure of DNA helped pave the way for developments in the study of human genetics, has died at the age of 97.

Watson, a brilliant but controversial figure who later prompted outcry with his promotion of debunked racist ideas, shared the 1962 Nobel Prize in medicine with fellow scientists Francis Crick and Maurice Wilkins for discovering the double helix structure of deoxyribonucleic acid, or DNA.

In a statement announcing his death, the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, where Watson previously worked, called the discovery a “pivotal moment in the life sciences”. Watson’s son said that he died in hospice care after struggling with a brief illness.

Watson’s discovery helped pave the way for important developments in the alteration of the genet