The Double Helix

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1、THEDOUBLEHELIXAPersonalAccountoftheDiscoveryoftheStructureofDNAbyJamesD.WatsonForewordbySirLawrenceBraggTHISACCOUNToftheeventswhichledtothesolutionofthestructureofDNA,thefundamentalgeneticalmaterial,isuniqueinseveralways.IwasmuchpleasedwhenWatsonaskedmetowritet

2、heforeword.Thereisinthefirstplaceitsscientificinterest.ThediscoveryofthestructurebyCrickandWatson,withallitsbiologicalimplications,hasbeenoneofthemajorscientificeventsofthiscentury.Thenumberofresearcheswhichithasinspiredisamazing;ithascausedanexplosioninbiochem

3、istrywhichhastransformedthescience.Ihavebeenamongstthosewhohavepressedtheauthortowritehisrecollectionswhiletheyarestillfreshinhismind,knowinghowimportanttheywouldbeasacontributiontothehistoryofscience.Theresulthasexceededexpectation.Thelatterchapters,inwhichthe

4、birthofthenewideaisdescribedsovividly,aredramaofthehighestorder;thetensionmountsandmountstowardsthefinalclimax.Idonotknowofanyotherinstancewhereoneisabletosharesointimatelyintheresearcher'sstrugglesanddoubtsandfinaltriumph.Thenagain,thestoryisapoignantexampleof

5、adilemmawhichmayconfrontaninvestigator.Heknowsthatacolleaguehasbeenworkingforyearsonaproblemandhasaccumulatedamassofhard-wonevidence,whichhasnotyetbeenpublishedbecauseitisanticipatedthatsuccessisjustaroundthecomer.Hehasseenthisevidenceandhasgoodreasontobelievet

6、hatamethodofattackwhichhecanenvisage,perhapsmerelyanewpointofview,willleadstraighttothesolution.Anofferofcollaborationatsuchastagemightwellberegardedasatrespass.ShouldhegoaheadonhisownItisnoteasytobesurewhetherthecrucialnewideaisreallyone'sownorhasbeenunconscio

7、uslyassimilatedintalkswithothers.Therealizationofthisdifficultyhasledtotheestablishmentofasomewhatvaguecodeamongstscientistswhichrecognizesaclaiminalineofresearchstakedoutbyacolleagueuptoacertainpoint.Whencompetitioncomesfrommorethanonequarter,thereisnoneedtoho

8、ldback.ThisdilemmacomesoutclearlyintheDNAstory.Itisasourceofdeepsatisfactiontoallintimatelyconcernedthat,intheawardoftheNobelPrizein1962,duerecognitionwasgiventothelong,pati