Hacker News Reader

Comment by jaaustin | Hacker News Reader

I want to use this opportunity to shill possibly the best history of science ever written: The Eighth Day of Creation [1], which describes the history of structural biology, including Watson’s various contributions. He comes across as a precocious asshole, not without talent but with a stronger eye towards self-advancement.

[1] https://www.cshlpress.com/default.tpl?cart=17625586661954464...

View on HN

I am adjacent to the field, have read old perspectives, and have worked closely with some of that milieu's students, so that I have gotten my share of gossip from octogenerians who still pick sides in all of this. To spread some of that gossip, one opinion worth mentioning is that the only "real genius" among that group (including Franklin and Wilkins) was actually Crick, and that Watson was precocious but that his real brilliance was clinging to him. It's probably worth mentioning that being a 30 something doing a PhD seems to be a big advantage, though, especially if it's after a decade of doing physics research.

Edit: Watson is also personally responsible for convincing one of the most unethical and conniving scientists I know to go into science rather than medicine, so I have additional reasons to be suspicious, given assholes propagate assholes. If you're a Crick, for God's sake, stop taking pity, and don't tolerate Watsons even if you feel bad for them or they treat you in particular very well, have some standards and be a Stoner.

> especially if it's after a decade of doing physics research.

Who are you referring to in this?

> Watson is also personally responsible for convincing one of the most unethical and conniving scientists I know to go into science rather than medicine

Someone publicly known?

it is also of note that Watson repeatedly made public statements, starting in 2007, asserting that he believed Black people are inherently less intelligent than white people, attributing this to genetics, a claim broadly denounced by scientists and the public as racist and scientifically invalid.

Amazing book. Tied with _The Making of the Atomic Bomb_ as my favorite non-fiction book.

Damn.

I love Making, and I'm currently on a Nick Lane/biology bender. Eigth Day is new to me. On my way to the e-book store of my persuasion ...

This book slaps. Constructed from interviews the author had with the great biologists and chemists of the era.

That's a pretty epic title. And the cover art reminds me fondly of those textbooks from my past that were somehow extremely dry yet captivating at the same time.

Will check this out and see how it measures up to my favorite book on the topic, The Gene: An Intimate History [1]

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Gene:_An_Intimate_History

He was an “interesting” chap.

He spoke at an event hosted by my company, once. He was pissed at Alec Baldwin, and devoted some time to calling him names. We were all looking at each other, going “WTF?”. He was supposed to be talking about using our microscopes, which never came up. It was a lot more like listening to Grandpa complaining about “kids these days,” after getting into the schnapps.

Have a friend that retired from CSH, a few years ago. Watson was a familiar presence, there; even after his Fall From Grace, which came about 20 years late. He used to live like a prince, on campus. Not sure if he was still there, before he went into hospice.

Most folks had a lot of difficulty with him, but he was a money magnet. They put up with his stuff, because he was such a good fundraiser.

It’s amazing how forgiving we can be, when money is to be made.

> “…this opportunity to shill…”

Oh? Care to reveal your stake in the success of the book?

Whatever, you said “shill”, which means you’re usually an inside man.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com