Events mark DNA's 50th anniversary

BRITAIN: A blue plaque will be unveiled today at the Cambridge pub where, 50 years ago, two young scientists burst in and announced…

BRITAIN: A blue plaque will be unveiled today at the Cambridge pub where, 50 years ago, two young scientists burst in and announced they had discovered the "secret of life".

The moment marked a turning point in history and sparked a revolution in molecular biology that continues to change the world today. James Watson and Francis Crick published their description of the double helix structure of DNA in the journal Nature on April 25th, 1953.

Events marking the 50th anniversary of their achievement will culminate today with a celebratory conference in Cambridge. The meeting is expected to attract 500 scientists who will talk about the impact of DNA on biology and medicine today and in the future. Dr Watson, now president of the Cold Spring Harbour Laboratory in New York, is expected to unveil the plaque himself.