Carina Dennis of the science journal Nature explains the significance and consequences of Watson and Crick's landmark 1953 discovery.
DNA is, in every sense, a modern icon. For decades, it has enthralled scientists striving to understand its molecular meaning, provided an aesthetic template for artists, and challenged society with all sorts of ethical conundrums.
The defining moment for DNA was the discovery of its structure.
Published in the science journal Nature 50 years ago this month, James Watson and Francis Crick described how two strands of DNA embrace to form a double helix, and sparked a scientific revolution.
Click here for the full article (BBC News)
For more information about the 50th Anniversary of DNA discovery click on the links below:
http://www.newscientist.com/hottopics/dna/
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/in_depth/sci_tech/2003/dna_at_50/default.stm