James Watson

It has not escaped our notice that the specific pairing we have postulated immediately suggests a possible copying mechanism for the genetic material.

We wish to suggest a structure for the salt of deoxyribose nucleic acid (DNA). This structure has novel features which are of considerable biological interest.

The double helix was an instant icon, a symbol of science's power to unlock the secrets of life.

Science seldom proceeds in the straightforward logical manner imagined by outsiders. Instead, its progress is a tortuous interplay of false starts, fumbled experiments, and brilliant insights.

A goodly number of scientists are not only narrow-minded but also dull.

The molecule was so beautiful that it had to be true.

Life is a chemical phenomenon.

The gene is the master molecule of life.

The brain is the most complex object in the universe.

There is only one way to do science, and that is to do it.

The secret of life is DNA.

The structure of DNA was so elegant, so simple, that it was immediately obvious that it had to be correct.

The race for the double helix was not a gentleman's game.

The history of science is full of people who were wrong.

The future of medicine lies in understanding the human genome.

The greatest discovery of all time was the discovery of DNA.

The pursuit of knowledge is a noble endeavor.

The double helix was a triumph of human intellect.

Science is a human endeavor, with all the flaws and triumphs that implies.

The genetic code is the language of life.