| March 26, 2003 |
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Celebrating 50 Years of DNA
Happy  birthday, DNA! Just 50 years have passed since scientists James Watson and Francis Crick ushered in a new era by identifying that spiral ladder of gene-works formally known as deoxyribose nucleic acid. The scientists' "Nature Paper" on the structure of DNA is reproduced in this Flash site and featured alongside a helpful timeline of genetics. This life story of the gene begins some 10,000 years ago in China when humans first used selective breeding to modify crops and animals. Jump forward to 1866 when Gregor Mendel identified hereditary patterns in pea plants, a discovery that paved the way for 20th-century genetics theory. Once the structure of DNA was identified, understanding the function of genes at a molecular level was possible. This led to everything from isolating the gene that causes Huntington's Disease to important advances in criminal forensics. Thanks to many scientific pioneers, we know a lot more about our genes than our parents ever imagined possible. (in DNA and Genetics) |
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