Pioneering scientist James Watson dies aged 97 | The IndependentNotifications can be managed in browser preferences.Jump to contentIndependentSwipe for next articleIndependent Bulletin homepageDownload ourSocial PartnerWe are 8 logo (opens in a new tab)AllNewsSportCultureLifestyleMalcolm RitterFriday 07 November 2025 22:59 GMTJames Watson won a Nobel Prize in 1962 (AP Photo/Ivan Sekretarev, File)James D. Watson, the pioneering scientist who co-discovered DNA's double helix structure, has died at the age of 97.His groundbreaking work in 1953, undertaken at just 24, earned him a Nobel Prize in 1962 alongside Francis Crick and Maurice Wilkins.The revelation that deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) forms a double helix revolutionised medicine, forensics, genealogy, and ethics.This discovery provided instant insight into how hereditary information is stored and how cells duplicate their DNA.Watson's later years were marred by widespread condemnation following racist remarks, including assertions about the intelligence of Black people.In fullJames Watson, discoverer of the double-helix shape of DNA, dies age 97Thank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in