The anniversary of the double helix
Around this time of year back in 1953, Frances Crick and James Watson unravelled the secret of DNA. We moved on so fast, we’ve forgotten what an epic discovery this way, something like Newton discovering the laws of gravity. But this was a turning-point in science and something that has brought benefits to all of us, and pushed human understanding a whole leap further.
Mention DNA to a kid and I’ll bet they’ll be preparing to switch off as soon as the words are out of your mouth. Shame, because, explained the right way to a young listener, the history of DNA and genes makes a great story. The good old BBC has nailed the topic in a brief 4 minutes here and it’s well worth a watch.
So, on a rainy weekend, why not watch a NowYouKnowAbout ten-minute film about some science greats – Pasteur, Newton, Galileo, Darwin – and follow up with the DNA story and show how determined people, fuelled by curiosity, hard work and relentless tenacity, can really make a big difference.
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