cover image 50 Years of DNA

50 Years of DNA

. Palgrave MacMillan, $30 (120pp) ISBN 978-1-4039-1479-8

Published in association with the prestigious science journal Nature (which in 1953 published the original article on the double helix by James Watson and Francis Crick), this celebration of the 50th anniversary of the discovery of the structure of DNA includes essays from the principals, Watson, Crick and Rosalind Franklin, as well as contributions from other noted writers. The editors have crafted a concise, reader-friendly and handsomely illustrated history of the discovery that revolutionized biology in the second half of the 20th century, beginning with its antecedents in the work of Gregor Mendel and ending with contemporary challenges and controversies about cloning and""designer"" babies. A timeline lists notable events in the history of DNA research, and a facsimile of Watson and Crick's original article appears, followed by a look at the discovery's""lukewarm"" reception in the media of the time. This is a very useful guide for anyone interested in a major scientific accomplishment and its legacy.