May 2001 Edition home

Dr. James Watson: DNA Pioneer and "Biological Prophet" Attendees at the First Annual Neurogenomics Symposium were treated to a speech from Dr. James Watson, who has been described as making the "most important biological discovery of the 20th century." By Randall Gregg Editor In Chief The Triangle TechJournal: May 11, 2001 www.triangletechjournal.com CHAPEL HILL - DNA -- Deoxyribonucleic Acid -- The basic building block of life.  It's almost taken for granted that the structure that contains our genetic code is in the shape of a double helix.  In fact, the beautiful but ubiquitous double helix form has come to symbolize not only the study of genetics, but biology in general. However, until the early 1950's, a scant half-century ago, this structure and its proteins largely remained a mystery.  The basic structure of DNA, and the interaction of the proteins within in it, were not hammered down until Francis Crick, Maurice Wilkins, and of course James Watson announced their findings to the world, eventually winning the Nobel Prize for their efforts in 1962.  The structure of DNA was indeed a double helix, an intertwining spiral of proteins that seemingly clicked together like a lego set of microscopic proportions. At the time of Watson and Crick's discovery of DNA's double helix form, Dr. Watson was only 25 years old.  Now 73, Watson's discovery only seems to gather more importance and weight as time passes.  In fact, his work can be said to be one of a few discoveries that could truly change human history and even human evolution as we know it.  His work in genetics helped to spawn a revolution in biology and could eventually lead to cures for almost every illness known to man, as well as its potential ultimate culmination in changing the basic genetic makeup of the human species itself. Watson's Introduction At the first annual Neurogenomics Symposium in Chapel Hill at the end of April, symposium attendees were treated to the honor of hearing Dr. Watson speak, and got to know a little about the man behind the myth. But who would have the honor of introducing Watson, the man who arguably has already affected the life of future generations? The honor at the dinner fell upon none other than a fellow Nobel Prize winner, Dr. Eric Kandel of Columbia University.  Dr. Kandel won the Nobel Prize last year for his work in neurology delving deep into the workings of the brain's synapses and how molecules at the synaptic level interact.  Dr. Kandel seemed to have no problem describing Dr. Watson's work and his early discovery of DNA's structure. "[It is] the most important biological discovery of the 20th century," he said.  "It was a critical point in microbiology...giving us the copying mechanism of genetic material." Kandell said that Watson's work brought the entire field of biology to the forefront in the scientific community. "Biology could now hold its own head up with chemistry and physics," Kandel said. In addition, the discovery also stoked interest in science in general, especially after the publication of Watson's best-selling book Double Helix in 1968.  "The book became an international best seller because it made biology exciting for the general public," said Kandel. Kandel jokingly described Watson's writing in the book as having an "interest in sex and fame in just about that order." Dr. Watson, The Man Dr. Kandel also praised Watson's imagination and eternal energy, describing him as a "precocious adolescent" who has "an eagerness to say and do outrageous things." "It's not simply that he is smart," added Kandel.  "But that he has creativity and vision, the ability to look into the future." Kandel probably best desribed Watson's forward-thinking attitudes just before he handed over the podium to Dr. Watson. "Jim is in a class by himself...the great biological prophet of the future," Kandel said. Watson Admits Controversy No stranger to controversy, and seemingly drawn to the spotlight, Watson told the audience that he was going to give a version of a speech that he gave at the University of California at Berkeley in October.  His speech there drew some criticism from both the media and from the scientific and academic communities. "I thought it might upset a few people and it did," said Watson about the speech.  "They all said I was a racist...and worse, that I was a determinist." Watson that a member of the National Academy of Sciences told him that he "did not have a right to give that speech" and even called his speech "stupid." Watson's First Idea: Discovery of the Double Helix Watson said that he has had only a few great ideas in his life.   Of course, his work surrounding the structure of DNA was certainly one of those great ideas. "It was a great moment...I had an idea," said Watson.  "When we saw the DNA structure...it was just too good not to be true...every genetecist wanted to believe it was correct." Strangely enough, Watson did not want to publicize their findings when they had made their discovery. "When we wrote the first paper, I didn't want to put it in," he said.  "I thought it was wonderful, but I was just afraid to write it." Luckily for the scientific community and for the world in general, Watson did put in his findings -- and the world of biology was changed forever. His Second Idea: Cancer Tumors Watson said after the discovery of the DNA double helix, it was some time before another idea hit him. "I went six years before I had an idea," said Watson. "I had the idea in the fall of 1958 that viruses cause cancer...that was my second idea." Although he had the idea early on, Watson said that people did not believe his theory, because at the time, he couldn't quite explain or decisively prove it. Of course, Watson pointed out that people also did not believe Watson and Crick's theories regarding DNA either, because both ideas at the time were revolutionary. "I'm afraid that even after Francis [Crick] had spoken 100 days in a row on DNA...people didn't believe it," he said. Watson later developed his idea through his leadership and work at the respected Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory in New York, where he has served as director since 1976. The idea that some cancers are indeed caused by viruses has become widely accepted, especially after Cold Spring Harbor's research in 1987 and 1988.  Watson said they were able to show that a tumor antigen (virus) could neutralize a tumor "suppressor" in some cells, thereby causing them to replicate wildly and making a tumor grow. The field of tumor virology has now become an important focus in the fight against some types of cancers.  Fight the virus and you fight the cancer.  As the causes of more types of cancers are known, some even speculate that many more types of cancers are caused by viruses than earlier suspected -- the viruses just haven't been identified yet. Watson's Third Idea Watson said his third major idea came much later -- only very recently, and he attributed it in his own outspoken way to an article he read. "I had an idea couple of months ago," said Watson. "It came from reading an article of monumental stupidity by Steven Gold in the New York Times on why the human genome is small." Watson obviously disagreed with Gold's theories on the human genome. "To say that he's really witless...[he] is witless or he's a communist," joked Watson, using a quick play on words. Watson put forth the idea that highly developed nervous systems within organisms, in a way, replaces the need for an enormous amount of genes.  In other words, despite a certain organisms increase in complexity, it would not necessarily need a lot more genes to reach that level of complexity. "You do't use more genes, you use a nervous system," said Watson. Watson gave two examples to back his point. Watson turned to the invertebrate world for his first example, comparing the genomics of worms and flies. "Why does a worm have a lot more genes?" he asked, saying that even though a worm is "dumber" it's genes outnumber those found in a fly.  Flies and spiders have one of the most advanced central nervous systems found in invertebrates, and have highly developed senses.  But yet, the numbers of genes found in their DNA are lower than that of an earthworm - despite this,  the presence of a more developed nervous system allows a fly to be more complex without adding thousands of more genes. In another example, Watson said that there are only about 29,000 genes in a normal plant, whereas it has been estimated that there are only a few thousands more genes (around 30,000 to 40,000) in a human. Watson said that a mouse might even have more genes that a human because humans don't use their senses as much.  The genetic programming for a keen sense of smell may have been deleted from human genes over time because they were not used. Watson's 4th Idea: Sun, Sex, and Food Watson's most recent idea and the one that has caused some controversy revolves around the idea that chemicals play a more important role in human behavior than presently realized.  His idea basically laced an interwoven link between the sun, sex, and food in terms of their effects on the human body. Watson started by explaining that certain chemicals in the body, such as endorphins which are known to provide feelings of pleasure in the brain, are "rewards" for good behavior. In other words, you seek happiness because when you perform a certain activity, a hormone makes you feel good which instills you to do that behavior again.  Watson gave an example. "People like to be in the sun because they like the endorphin [released when you're in sunlight]," he said.  "We remember the sun is pleasant...so we go to the sun." Why would the body "reward" you for going to the sun?  Watson speculated that it is because of the body's need for Vitamin D, which is provided by sunlight through your skin.  Your body knows you need Vitamin D to survive and so it rewards you when you find a source of Vitamin D-- the sun. Watson went on to say that it is well known that in areas of the world that receive little or no sunlight in the winter months, they don't get a dose of endorphins and as such, are depressed.  He said that's why some people in those climes turn to drinking -- to make up for their missing sun endorphins. "There's no genes for alcoholism in the Irish," joked Watson.  "It's just no sun." Leptin, Food, and Supermodels Watson explored the topic further and said that other chemicals in the body can also affect human behavior greatly.  One example is leptin, said Watson. When people eat, the body releases the chemical leptin which gives them a satisfied feeling. "When you have a meal, there's a surge of leptin," said Watson. "That's why the mood is better." Children born without the receptor for leptin basically have an "unsatiable appetite" and tragically never feel satisfied. Those who eat more food are likely to have more leptin in their body, Watson speculated. "The amount of leptin you have circulating is a function of how fat you are," said Watson. Watson took his theory a bit further and said that since leptin causes feelings of contentment, that "people with weight are more content than people who are thin." He gave what he said were a few examples of some people who are not happy because they are too thin. "Women are too thin and are taking anti-depressants," said Watson. After his comment ellicited some groans of disapproval from the women in the audience, Watson quickly came back with another comment. "They're either too thin or they're unhappy because men are too beastly," joked Watson. Watson showed a slideshow picture of a very thin Kate Moss, a well-known supermodel. "The world of supermodels is just riddled with drugs," said Watson. "...I think the answer is they're just too thin." He drew a lot of laughs when he then showed a slide of Santa Claus. "On the other hand," he joked, pointing to the jolly Santa. Wondering out loud, Watson pondered the correlation between weight and contentment. "Are people nicer when they're older because they've put on 20 pounds?" asked Watson.  "The United States is getting heavier...the crime rate is going down," he joked. The attitude that being thin is good has only recently come into vogue, Watson said.  "In the old days, being thin was dangerous," said Watson.  "It wasn't until this century that being thin...was good." Exercise and Happiness He went on to reiterate that the body has mechanisms for making people pursue things that make them happy, and if they don't get it from eating then they find it in some other form such as exercise. "Are people thin because they run or do people run because they're thin? asked Watson.  "I think people run because they're thin...if [they're] not exercising, they're not getting an endorphin high." "Exercise makes people feel good -- exercise is good for you," said Watson.  "If you were totally not moving, you  wouldn't survive." Watson also said that he makes it a point when interviewing potential employees to ask them what they do to exercise.  He said he does this because people who do not exercise may not be content and as such "they may be pains in the ass." Watson admitted that admitted that all of this was "pure speculation" but said that he believed that our bodies do try to reward us for certain behaviors. "We feel happy because we're doing something that will make us more successful as human beings," he said.  "The successful people are pursuing happiness." Add Some Sex To The Mix For his conclusion, Watson decided to delve a little further into his ideas regarding sun and food and he even threw in a little sex to boot. "I'll end with something that is even more bizarre," he warned the audience. Watson basically said he believes that there is a definite link between getting sunlight, eating food, and sexual activity in humans. As an example, Watson said that a large wave of Swedish children are born at the end of the winter -- "just right" in terms of timing, meaning that they would have been conceived in the summer time, primetime for the sun. "Why should the sun give you sexual thoughts?" he asked out loud.  "There might be a reason for it." Watson told of a case where a researcher injected melanin into himself.  Melanin is a pigment found in the skin.  During exposure to the sun, melanin increases in the skin, causing the skin to become darker (a tan.)  Watson said that after the injection of melanin into the researchers skin, he had a sexual side effect as a result of it. As a further example of the link between food, sun, and sex, Watson said the pharmaceutical company Merck tried to synthesize a drug that would literally "turn-off" your appetite.  He said in clinical trials on patients, "it turned them on sexually." "I think there is a reality to it," said Watson about a link between sun, sex, and food.  "Somehow things are connected." Watson made a reference to Don Juan, the Latin Lover, who was dark and handsome.  Did his exposure to the sun increase his sexuality?  "These are sort of myths," said Watson.  "But no one has heard of the English lover -- it's the English patient." "What I'm trying to say is that we are still governing by chemical solutions...and have been before we could even communicate," said Watson. Watson Draws His Conclusions At the end of his speech, Watson poked a little fun at himself and his speech --half joking and half serious-- even while drawing his conclusions for the audience.  "It's fun to have an idea, but no fun unless you tell it to people," he said. "It's all speculation," he said.  "But at least 60% of all these things are probably right." Watson wondered out loud about how his ideas could be tested. He suggested that they should "give leptin to thin people and it would make them happier."  They would be "much more tranquil" with leptin, he said. In regards to his section on sun and sexuality, Watson said that after his same speech at the University of California at Berkeley, the San Francisco Chronicle newspaper called him "a racist." Watson said he is not a racist and that none of his remarks should be construed in that manner and that they may have misunderstood his comments. He joked that what he was actually trying to say in regards to sun and sexuality is that they "should beware of sun-burned white men." After the laughter in the audience died down, Watson continued with his speech, mentioning that his ideas regarding the relationship between certain chemicals and happiness in the human body should be studied. But he said, "No one studies happiness...we study depression." Watson started again with his joking and came up with one way to perhaps increase happiness for folks who don't get enough sunshine.  They could use a "slow release of opiate" to get through the winter months, maybe in the form of a patch. "You don't need down here, just in New England," he joked.  "You'd go to the police station and get one...but you'd only get one per year." Analysis of Watson's Speech After Watson's speech, he received a very long ovation.  Researchers and admirers from around the world crowded around him for the next hour, as he signed autographs and posed with attendees for autographs. His controversial speech was somewhat unusual in this day of political correctness -- in particular, some of the women in the audience were taken aback by his comments on women, especially in regards to women not being happy because they're thin. It should also be said that sometimes it was hard to tell when Dr. Watson was serious and when he was joing. But as Dr. Kandell described him, Watson is a "precocious adolescent" who has an "eagerness to say outrageous things."  You definitely got the feeling that Watson sometimes says things in a certain way to get a rise out of people and to add a little controversy to make things more interesting, making people come out of their comfortable safe zones in life. Dr. Watson shocked the scientific community with what he had to say about DNA in the 1950's, changing the world forever.  Fifty years later, it's still apparent that Watson enjoys shocking people with what he has to say --- and the world is still listening to his every word. TTJ home

Copyright 2001 by The TriangleTechJournal -- No part of this website may be copied, reprinted, or reused without express permission of The Triangle TechJournal.

Dr. James Watson: DNA Pioneer and "Biological Prophet" Attendees at the First Annual Neurogenomics Symposium were treated to a speech from Dr. James Watson, who has been described as making the "most important biological discovery of the 20th century." By Randall Gregg Editor In Chief The Triangle TechJournal: May 11, 2001 www.triangletechjournal.com CHAPEL HILL - DNA -- Deoxyribonucleic Acid -- The basic building block of life.  It's almost taken for granted that the structure that contains our genetic code is in the shape of a double helix.  In fact, the beautiful but ubiquitous double helix form has come to symbolize not only the study of genetics, but biology in general. However, until the early 1950's, a scant half-century ago, this structure and its proteins largely remained a mystery.  The basic structure of DNA, and the interaction of the proteins within in it, were not hammered down until Francis Crick, Maurice Wilkins, and of course James Watson announced their findings to the world, eventually winning the Nobel Prize for their efforts in 1962.  The structure of DNA was indeed a double helix, an intertwining spiral of proteins that seemingly clicked together like a lego set of microscopic proportions. At the time of Watson and Crick's discovery of DNA's double helix form, Dr. Watson was only 25 years old.  Now 73, Watson's discovery only seems to gather more importance and weight as time passes.  In fact, his work can be said to be one of a few discoveries that could truly change human history and even human evolution as we know it.  His work in genetics helped to spawn a revolution in biology and could eventually lead to cures for almost every illness known to man, as well as its potential ultimate culmination in changing the basic genetic makeup of the human species itself. Watson's Introduction At the first annual Neurogenomics Symposium in Chapel Hill at the end of April, symposium attendees were treated to the honor of hearing Dr. Watson speak, and got to know a little about the man behind the myth. But who would have the honor of introducing Watson, the man who arguably has already affected the life of future generations? The honor at the dinner fell upon none other than a fellow Nobel Prize winner, Dr. Eric Kandel of Columbia University.  Dr. Kandel won the Nobel Prize last year for his work in neurology delving deep into the workings of the brain's synapses and how molecules at the synaptic level interact.  Dr. Kandel seemed to have no problem describing Dr. Watson's work and his early discovery of DNA's structure. "[It is] the most important biological discovery of the 20th century," he said.  "It was a critical point in microbiology...giving us the copying mechanism of genetic material." Kandell said that Watson's work brought the entire field of biology to the forefront in the scientific community. "Biology could now hold its own head up with chemistry and physics," Kandel said. In addition, the discovery also stoked interest in science in general, especially after the publication of Watson's best-selling book Double Helix in 1968.  "The book became an international best seller because it made biology exciting for the general public," said Kandel. Kandel jokingly described Watson's writing in the book as having an "interest in sex and fame in just about that order." Dr. Watson, The Man Dr. Kandel also praised Watson's imagination and eternal energy, describing him as a "precocious adolescent" who has "an eagerness to say and do outrageous things." "It's not simply that he is smart," added Kandel.  "But that he has creativity and vision, the ability to look into the future." Kandel probably best desribed Watson's forward-thinking attitudes just before he handed over the podium to Dr. Watson. "Jim is in a class by himself...the great biological prophet of the future," Kandel said. Watson Admits Controversy No stranger to controversy, and seemingly drawn to the spotlight, Watson told the audience that he was going to give a version of a speech that he gave at the University of California at Berkeley in October.  His speech there drew some criticism from both the media and from the scientific and academic communities. "I thought it might upset a few people and it did," said Watson about the speech.  "They all said I was a racist...and worse, that I was a determinist." Watson that a member of the National Academy of Sciences told him that he "did not have a right to give that speech" and even called his speech "stupid." Watson's First Idea: Discovery of the Double Helix Watson said that he has had only a few great ideas in his life.   Of course, his work surrounding the structure of DNA was certainly one of those great ideas. "It was a great moment...I had an idea," said Watson.  "When we saw the DNA structure...it was just too good not to be true...every genetecist wanted to believe it was correct." Strangely enough, Watson did not want to publicize their findings when they had made their discovery. "When we wrote the first paper, I didn't want to put it in," he said.  "I thought it was wonderful, but I was just afraid to write it." Luckily for the scientific community and for the world in general, Watson did put in his findings -- and the world of biology was changed forever. His Second Idea: Cancer Tumors Watson said after the discovery of the DNA double helix, it was some time before another idea hit him. "I went six years before I had an idea," said Watson. "I had the idea in the fall of 1958 that viruses cause cancer...that was my second idea." Although he had the idea early on, Watson said that people did not believe his theory, because at the time, he couldn't quite explain or decisively prove it. Of course, Watson pointed out that people also did not believe Watson and Crick's theories regarding DNA either, because both ideas at the time were revolutionary. "I'm afraid that even after Francis [Crick] had spoken 100 days in a row on DNA...people didn't believe it," he said. Watson later developed his idea through his leadership and work at the respected Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory in New York, where he has served as director since 1976. The idea that some cancers are indeed caused by viruses has become widely accepted, especially after Cold Spring Harbor's research in 1987 and 1988.  Watson said they were able to show that a tumor antigen (virus) could neutralize a tumor "suppressor" in some cells, thereby causing them to replicate wildly and making a tumor grow. The field of tumor virology has now become an important focus in the fight against some types of cancers.  Fight the virus and you fight the cancer.  As the causes of more types of cancers are known, some even speculate that many more types of cancers are caused by viruses than earlier suspected -- the viruses just haven't been identified yet. Watson's Third Idea Watson said his third major idea came much later -- only very recently, and he attributed it in his own outspoken way to an article he read. "I had an idea couple of months ago," said Watson. "It came from reading an article of monumental stupidity by Steven Gold in the New York Times on why the human genome is small." Watson obviously disagreed with Gold's theories on the human genome. "To say that he's really witless...[he] is witless or he's a communist," joked Watson, using a quick play on words. Watson put forth the idea that highly developed nervous systems within organisms, in a way, replaces the need for an enormous amount of genes.  In other words, despite a certain organisms increase in complexity, it would not necessarily need a lot more genes to reach that level of complexity. "You do't use more genes, you use a nervous system," said Watson. Watson gave two examples to back his point. Watson turned to the invertebrate world for his first example, comparing the genomics of worms and flies. "Why does a worm have a lot more genes?" he asked, saying that even though a worm is "dumber" it's genes outnumber those found in a fly.  Flies and spiders have one of the most advanced central nervous systems found in invertebrates, and have highly developed senses.  But yet, the numbers of genes found in their DNA are lower than that of an earthworm - despite this,  the presence of a more developed nervous system allows a fly to be more complex without adding thousands of more genes. In another example, Watson said that there are only about 29,000 genes in a normal plant, whereas it has been estimated that there are only a few thousands more genes (around 30,000 to 40,000) in a human. Watson said that a mouse might even have more genes that a human because humans don't use their senses as much.  The genetic programming for a keen sense of smell may have been deleted from human genes over time because they were not used. Watson's 4th Idea: Sun, Sex, and Food Watson's most recent idea and the one that has caused some controversy revolves around the idea that chemicals play a more important role in human behavior than presently realized.  His idea basically laced an interwoven link between the sun, sex, and food in terms of their effects on the human body. Watson started by explaining that certain chemicals in the body, such as endorphins which are known to provide feelings of pleasure in the brain, are "rewards" for good behavior. In other words, you seek happiness because when you perform a certain activity, a hormone makes you feel good which instills you to do that behavior again.  Watson gave an example. "People like to be in the sun because they like the endorphin [released when you're in sunlight]," he said.  "We remember the sun is pleasant...so we go to the sun." Why would the body "reward" you for going to the sun?  Watson speculated that it is because of the body's need for Vitamin D, which is provided by sunlight through your skin.  Your body knows you need Vitamin D to survive and so it rewards you when you find a source of Vitamin D-- the sun. Watson went on to say that it is well known that in areas of the world that receive little or no sunlight in the winter months, they don't get a dose of endorphins and as such, are depressed.  He said that's why some people in those climes turn to drinking -- to make up for their missing sun endorphins. "There's no genes for alcoholism in the Irish," joked Watson.  "It's just no sun." Leptin, Food, and Supermodels Watson explored the topic further and said that other chemicals in the body can also affect human behavior greatly.  One example is leptin, said Watson. When people eat, the body releases the chemical leptin which gives them a satisfied feeling. "When you have a meal, there's a surge of leptin," said Watson. "That's why the mood is better." Children born without the receptor for leptin basically have an "unsatiable appetite" and tragically never feel satisfied. Those who eat more food are likely to have more leptin in their body, Watson speculated. "The amount of leptin you have circulating is a function of how fat you are," said Watson. Watson took his theory a bit further and said that since leptin causes feelings of contentment, that "people with weight are more content than people who are thin." He gave what he said were a few examples of some people who are not happy because they are too thin. "Women are too thin and are taking anti-depressants," said Watson. After his comment ellicited some groans of disapproval from the women in the audience, Watson quickly came back with another comment. "They're either too thin or they're unhappy because men are too beastly," joked Watson. Watson showed a slideshow picture of a very thin Kate Moss, a well-known supermodel. "The world of supermodels is just riddled with drugs," said Watson. "...I think the answer is they're just too thin." He drew a lot of laughs when he then showed a slide of Santa Claus. "On the other hand," he joked, pointing to the jolly Santa. Wondering out loud, Watson pondered the correlation between weight and contentment. "Are people nicer when they're older because they've put on 20 pounds?" asked Watson.  "The United States is getting heavier...the crime rate is going down," he joked. The attitude that being thin is good has only recently come into vogue, Watson said.  "In the old days, being thin was dangerous," said Watson.  "It wasn't until this century that being thin...was good." Exercise and Happiness He went on to reiterate that the body has mechanisms for making people pursue things that make them happy, and if they don't get it from eating then they find it in some other form such as exercise. "Are people thin because they run or do people run because they're thin? asked Watson.  "I think people run because they're thin...if [they're] not exercising, they're not getting an endorphin high." "Exercise makes people feel good -- exercise is good for you," said Watson.  "If you were totally not moving, you  wouldn't survive." Watson also said that he makes it a point when interviewing potential employees to ask them what they do to exercise.  He said he does this because people who do not exercise may not be content and as such "they may be pains in the ass." Watson admitted that admitted that all of this was "pure speculation" but said that he believed that our bodies do try to reward us for certain behaviors. "We feel happy because we're doing something that will make us more successful as human beings," he said.  "The successful people are pursuing happiness." Add Some Sex To The Mix For his conclusion, Watson decided to delve a little further into his ideas regarding sun and food and he even threw in a little sex to boot. "I'll end with something that is even more bizarre," he warned the audience. Watson basically said he believes that there is a definite link between getting sunlight, eating food, and sexual activity in humans. As an example, Watson said that a large wave of Swedish children are born at the end of the winter -- "just right" in terms of timing, meaning that they would have been conceived in the summer time, primetime for the sun. "Why should the sun give you sexual thoughts?" he asked out loud.  "There might be a reason for it." Watson told of a case where a researcher injected melanin into himself.  Melanin is a pigment found in the skin.  During exposure to the sun, melanin increases in the skin, causing the skin to become darker (a tan.)  Watson said that after the injection of melanin into the researchers skin, he had a sexual side effect as a result of it. As a further example of the link between food, sun, and sex, Watson said the pharmaceutical company Merck tried to synthesize a drug that would literally "turn-off" your appetite.  He said in clinical trials on patients, "it turned them on sexually." "I think there is a reality to it," said Watson about a link between sun, sex, and food.  "Somehow things are connected." Watson made a reference to Don Juan, the Latin Lover, who was dark and handsome.  Did his exposure to the sun increase his sexuality?  "These are sort of myths," said Watson.  "But no one has heard of the English lover -- it's the English patient." "What I'm trying to say is that we are still governing by chemical solutions...and have been before we could even communicate," said Watson. Watson Draws His Conclusions At the end of his speech, Watson poked a little fun at himself and his speech --half joking and half serious-- even while drawing his conclusions for the audience.  "It's fun to have an idea, but no fun unless you tell it to people," he said. "It's all speculation," he said.  "But at least 60% of all these things are probably right." Watson wondered out loud about how his ideas could be tested. He suggested that they should "give leptin to thin people and it would make them happier."  They would be "much more tranquil" with leptin, he said. In regards to his section on sun and sexuality, Watson said that after his same speech at the University of California at Berkeley, the San Francisco Chronicle newspaper called him "a racist." Watson said he is not a racist and that none of his remarks should be construed in that manner and that they may have misunderstood his comments. He joked that what he was actually trying to say in regards to sun and sexuality is that they "should beware of sun-burned white men." After the laughter in the audience died down, Watson continued with his speech, mentioning that his ideas regarding the relationship between certain chemicals and happiness in the human body should be studied. But he said, "No one studies happiness...we study depression." Watson started again with his joking and came up with one way to perhaps increase happiness for folks who don't get enough sunshine.  They could use a "slow release of opiate" to get through the winter months, maybe in the form of a patch. "You don't need down here, just in New England," he joked.  "You'd go to the police station and get one...but you'd only get one per year." Analysis of Watson's Speech After Watson's speech, he received a very long ovation.  Researchers and admirers from around the world crowded around him for the next hour, as he signed autographs and posed with attendees for autographs. His controversial speech was somewhat unusual in this day of political correctness -- in particular, some of the women in the audience were taken aback by his comments on women, especially in regards to women not being happy because they're thin. It should also be said that sometimes it was hard to tell when Dr. Watson was serious and when he was joing. But as Dr. Kandell described him, Watson is a "precocious adolescent" who has an "eagerness to say outrageous things."  You definitely got the feeling that Watson sometimes says things in a certain way to get a rise out of people and to add a little controversy to make things more interesting, making people come out of their comfortable safe zones in life. Dr. Watson shocked the scientific community with what he had to say about DNA in the 1950's, changing the world forever.  Fifty years later, it's still apparent that Watson enjoys shocking people with what he has to say --- and the world is still listening to his every word. TTJ home

May 2001 Edition home

TALKING SHOP: Dr. James Watson, winner of the 1962 Nobel Prize for Physiology for his work on DNA, talks with Dr. Donald Lo at Cogent Neuroscience in Durham.  Dr. Watson came to the Triangle in April to present a speech as the keynote speaker for the First Annual Neurogenomics Symposium

EARLY YEARS: Dr. Watson was only 25 when he and Francis Crick made their important discovery about the DNA structure.