The book of James D. Watson is a great illustration of “cut-throat” competition that often takes place in science. It turns out that science is far not a quiet field limited by reading books, looking through the microscope, and calculating numbers. We see that uncovering nature’s secrets turns into a hot race.
In chapters 5-6, we observe many-sided competition that took place around studying the DNA structure. The talented UK team competed with the US team, which was not less strong. Besides, we can notice competition between several UK teams and even within one team. Would the competition disappear if the DNA race took place today? The answer is more likely to be negative.
Science has always been associated with ambitions, and decades or even centuries would not change this issue. Today, when talking about science, we often mention globalization: scientists cooperate and share the results of their work. To a great extent, this turns out to be true; but when we talk about such important issues as studying DNA structure, could any team share their laurels? Cooperation creates a synergy effect and makes the work effective, but is this more important than the right to get the title of a discoverer of DNA double helix structure? Although international scientific cooperation has been developing, studying the DNA would rather be a race than cooperation, which relates to both science and politics.
As for the cultural environment, the study of DNA would awake the society’s strong interest. Today the border between genetic and social remains the burning issue and the matter for active discussion, and decoding DNA seems very significant in this sense.
Another critical issue to discuss is, of course, Rosalind Franklin, her contribution to the investigation, and the way Watson mentions her in his book. Even now when the book had been issued, it provoked a wave of indignation. Today, times have changed: in our society, there is no need for a female scientist to be much more than a “feminist” whose “best home” is “in another person’s lab.” It is incredibly difficult to imagine today’s society’s reaction to the book and on the general evaluation of Franklin’s contribution to the “race,” as well as it is almost impossible to imagine that the described situation might take place nowadays. Thus, if the DNA race took place today, female scientists would actively participate in it.