Stories
Slash Boxes
Comments

SoylentNews is people

SoylentNews is powered by your submissions, so send in your scoop. Only 13 submissions in the queue.
Politics

Nobel Prize-Winning American Scientist James Watson Stripped of Honorary Titles

posted by chromas on Sunday January 13 2019, @10:00PM   Printer-friendly
from the race-to-disgrace dept.

takyon writes:

James Watson: Scientist loses titles after claims over race

Nobel Prize-winning American scientist James Watson has been stripped of his honorary titles after repeating comments about race and intelligence.

In a TV programme, the pioneer in DNA studies made a reference to a view that genes cause a difference on average between blacks and whites on IQ tests. Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory said the 90-year-old scientist's remarks were "unsubstantiated and reckless". Dr Watson had made similar claims in 2007 and subsequently apologised.

He shared the Nobel in 1962 with Maurice Wilkins and Francis Crick for their 1953 discovery of the DNA's double helix structure.

Dr Watson sold his gold medal in 2014, saying he had been ostracised by the scientific community after his remarks about race. He is currently in a nursing home recovering from a car accident and is said to have "very minimal" awareness of his surroundings.

Previously: Disgraced Scientist is Selling his Nobel Prize

Original Submission

 
This discussion has been archived. No new comments can be posted.
Nobel Prize-Winning American Scientist James Watson Stripped of Honorary Titles | Log In/Create an Account | Top | 226 comments | Search Discussion
Display Options Threshold/Breakthrough Mark All as Read Mark All as Unread
The Fine Print: The following comments are owned by whoever posted them. We are not responsible for them in any way.

  • (Score: 3, Insightful) by Phoenix666 on Monday January 14 2019, @08:45PM (2 children)

    by Phoenix666 (552) on Monday January 14 2019, @08:45PM (#786626) Journal

    I disagree with their decision. They should only rescind a prize if the science behind it was fraudulent. Rescinding it because they flat don't like the scientist is absurd.

    If the person who finally cures cancer is the rankest bigot on the planet, it will bother me not one bit because the important thing will be that a horrible disease that kills millions of people will have been conquered.

    I reject racism, and want everyone to have equal opportunities, but jesus the social justice nonsense has got to stop.

    --
    Washington DC delenda est.
    Starting Score:    1  point
    Moderation   +1  
       Insightful=1, Total=1
    Extra 'Insightful' Modifier   0  
    Karma-Bonus Modifier   +1  
    Total Score:   3  

  • (Score: 2) by fyngyrz on Monday January 14 2019, @09:30PM

    by fyngyrz (6567) on Monday January 14 2019, @09:30PM (#786642) Journal

    Well said.

    Applauds... because out of mod points

    --
    Give me ambiguity, or give me something else.

  • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday January 15 2019, @12:48AM

    by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday January 15 2019, @12:48AM (#786728)

    Normally I would agree but Watson's words give massive validation to racists who will say "even the discoverer of DNA agrees." Save the outrage for something a little less on the nose.

    For those around here who value freedom it should be perfectly acceptable for a private institution to withdraw awards if they feel the recipient is undeserving. If Watson had gotten a prize in just about any other field I would probably agree with you that the response is overboard.