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BBC Inside Science

70th anniversary of the discovery of DNA’s structure

BBC Inside Science

BBC

Technology, Science

4.51.3K Ratings

🗓️ 24 May 2023

⏱️ 33 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

James Watson and Francis Crick, who detailed the double-helix structure of DNA in 1953, are perhaps two of the most iconic scientists of the 20th Century. Yet the story of how they made their incredible discovery is perhaps equally famous, with a notorious narrative suggesting that they only identified the structure after taking the work of Rosalind Franklin and using it without her permission. Now, 70 years after the discovery of DNA’s structure, it is perhaps time to rewrite the tale. New evidence has now been unearthed, in the form of an overlooked news article and an unpublished letter, that shows that Franklin was truly an equal contributor to the discovery, and Watson and Crick were not as malicious as previously assumed. Together with Matthew Cobb of the University of Manchester, Nathaniel Comfort from Johns Hopkins University, and Angela Creager of Princeton University, Gaia Vince discusses this tantalising tale and finds out more about how this discovery could bring a whole new twist to the story of DNA. Presenter: Gaia Vince Producer: Harrison Lewis Assistant Producer: Jonathan Blackwell

Transcript

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0:00.0

He's a rule breaker, a trend setter. He reshaped art and redefined graffiti.

0:07.4

How does he smell?

0:08.4

Like paint.

0:09.3

Has he got any distinction features?

0:10.8

His anonymity.

0:11.9

But who is he?

0:13.2

What's his name?

0:14.1

Banksy.

0:15.0

Apparently I've met him twice.

0:16.5

The Banksy story.

0:18.0

Banksy's work is always about the human spirit versus establishment.

0:24.2

Listen on BBC Science.

0:27.4

BBC Sounds, Music, Radio, Podcasts.

0:32.4

Hello, this is the podcast edition of Inside Science First Broadcast

0:37.4

on BBC Radio 4 on Thursday the 27th of April. I'm Guy Evans.

0:44.4

We wish to suggest a structure for the sort of deoxyribose,

0:49.4

nucleic acid or DNA.

0:53.4

This structure has novel features which are of considerable biological interest.

1:01.4

Hello, this week we're celebrating 70 years of the double helix, The Secret of Life.

1:07.4

The structure of DNA deoxyribose nucleic acid was discovered by Cambridge researchers

1:13.4

James Watson and Francis Crick and detailed in a nature paper published this week in 1953,

1:20.4

which would go on to earn the Nobel Prizes a decade later.

...

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