Nobel Prize-winning DNA pioneer stripped of honors over 'reprehensible' race comments

YEREVAN, JANUARY 14, ARMENPRESS. American Nobel Prize-winning scientist James Watson, who co-discovered DNA, has been stripped of his honorary titles at the laboratory he once led after repeating racist comments in a documentary, CNN reports.

Watson discovered the double-helix structure of DNA alongside Francis Crick in the 1950sbased on the work of British chemistRosalind Franklin.

The 90 year old scientist said in a PBS film that genes cause a difference in intelligence between white and black people in IQ tests.

Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory labeled the comments ‘reprehensible’.

The laboratory said it "unequivocally rejects the unsubstantiated and reckless personal opinions Dr. James D. Watson expressed," noting the statements were "reprehensible [and] unsupported by science."

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan