James Watson
1928 – 2025

James Watson

American molecular biologist, geneticist, zoologist and Nobel Laureate (1928–2025)

Nobel Prize winnermolecular biologistbiophysicistacademicbiochemist
Born
1928-04-06, Chicago
Died
2025-11-06
Birthplace state
Illinois

Biography

James Dewey Watson was an American molecular biologist, geneticist, and zoologist. In 1953, he and Francis Crick co-authored an academic paper in Nature proposing the double helix structure of the DNA molecule, building on research by Rosalind Franklin and Raymond Gosling. In 1962, Watson, Crick, and Maurice Wilkins were awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine "for their discoveries concerning the molecular structure of nucleic acids and its significance for information transfer in living material".

Occupation

James Watson is recorded as a Nobel Prize winner, a molecular biologist, a biophysicist, a academic, a biochemist, a geneticist, a university teacher, a biologist, a zoologist, a chemist, a physicist, a writer and a scientist, born in Illinois (1928–2025).

Connections to Illinois

James Watson was born in Chicago, Illinois in 1928. Explore other notable figures from Illinois, historic sites connected to this era, and the full colonial and statehood history of the state using the links below.

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The Land
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Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
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Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
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Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
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More notable figures from Illinois

Other historical figures born in Illinois, ranked by historical prominence.

Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan
president of the United States from 1981 to 1989 and actor (1911-2004)
Walt Disney
Walt Disney
American animator, producer, director, screenwriter, voice actor and entrepreneur, founder of The Walt Disney Company (1901–1966)
Ernest Hemingway
Ernest Hemingway
American author and journalist (1899–1961)
Robin Williams
Robin Williams
American actor and comedian (1951–2014)
Ray Bradbury
Ray Bradbury
American author and screenwriter (1920–2012)
Bobby Fischer
Bobby Fischer
American chess player (1943–2008)
Robert Andrews Millikan
Robert Andrews Millikan
American physicist (1868–1953)

Frequently asked about James Watson

Who was James Watson?
James Watson was American molecular biologist, geneticist, zoologist and Nobel Laureate (1928–2025), born in Illinois (1928 – 2025).
When and where was James Watson born?
James Watson was born on 1928-04-06 in Chicago.
When did James Watson die?
James died on 2025-11-06.
What was James Watson known for?
James Watson is recorded as a Nobel Prize winner, a molecular biologist, a biophysicist, a academic, a biochemist, a geneticist, a university teacher, a biologist, a zoologist, a chemist, a physicist, a writer and a scientist.
Source

Biographical content adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. Source: Wikipedia.

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