Nobel Laureate James Watson passes away at 97

NEW YORK: James Watson, the renowned American scientist who won the Nobel Prize for his groundbreaking work on the structure of DNA, has passed away at the age of 97 after a prolonged illness, U.S. media reported.

His death was confirmed by a spokesperson for the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, where Watson spent much of his scientific career.

Before his passing, Watson said in an interview that he had hoped to accomplish more in life, adding that his lifelong mission was “the pursuit of truth,” which he described as his ultimate purpose.

Watson was awarded the Nobel Prize in 1962, sharing the honor with Francis Crick and Maurice Wilkins for the discovery of the double-helix structure of DNA in 1953.

Their findings, first published in the journal Nature, are considered a monumental breakthrough in molecular biology, shaping modern scientific understanding of genetic material.