Molecular Structure of Nucleic Acids: A Structure For Deoxyribose Nucleic Acid - The Nature of The Discovery

The Nature of The Discovery

Watson and Crick's 1953 article describes the answer to a fundamental mystery about living organisms. The nature of their discovery was distinctive and in some ways unsurprising. What is hidden in the technical jargon of the title is that Rosalind Franklin's discovery of the chemical structure of DNA finally revealed to Watson and Crick how genetic instructions are stored inside organisms and passed from generation to generation.

It is occasionally said that Watson and Crick identified ("cracked") the genetic code in this paper, but this work was done later, mostly by other researchers (see Genetic code#Discovery).

Read more about this topic:  Molecular Structure Of Nucleic Acids: A Structure For Deoxyribose Nucleic Acid

Famous quotes containing the words nature and/or discovery:

    As nature requires whirlwinds and cyclones to release its excessive force in a violent revolt against its own existence, so the spirit requires a demonic human being from time to time whose excessive strength rebels against the community of thought and the monotony of morality ... only by looking at those beyond its limits does humanity come to know its own utmost limits.
    Stefan Zweig (18811942)

    We are all humiliated by the sudden discovery of a fact which has existed very comfortably and perhaps been staring at us in private while we have been making up our world entirely without it.
    George Eliot [Mary Ann (or Marian)