The Secret of Life

The discovery by James Watson and Francis Crick in 1953 of the structure of the double helix of DNA forms the basis of nearly all achievements in modern genetics and molecular biology. But how did the scientists arrive at this result and why is the success attributed to Watson and Crick alone? In the narrative by Markel, one of the world’s leading experts in the history of medicine, the greatest scientific breakthrough involves the names of five (not two!) scientists, each of whom deserves glory and immortality: James Watson, Francis Crick, Rosalind Franklin, Maurice Wilkins, and Linus Pauling. Brilliant minds, strong personalities, they were both allies and competitors. At the same time, the author makes Rosalind Franklin the main character, thus raising, in addition to other important topics of the scientific world, issues of male chauvinism, anti-Semitism, and injustice. The author takes the reader on an intellectual journey, recreating the tense pursuit of truth and the complex picture of personal relationships while delicately touching on the secrets of life that go far beyond biology.