Brian O’Dowd was born in Dublin. He lives in Toronto. O’Dowd is a Professor at the University of Toronto. His novel ‘A Wicklow Girl’, was published in 2017. Available on Amazon etc. Publisher: Tellwell, Canada. In 2019 he won the prestigious Prix Galien 2019 Canadian Science Award, as reported in the Irish Times.
Eureka Fest
Brian O’Dowd Ⓒ
So I’d not need to appear in the sky and bellow. Well now you know the secret. My design. Congratulations. T Rex never even got started. You all have been storming the breaches, not that I was trying to keep it undiscovered and unrevealed. But X rays from Rosalind and Cambridge lads model started the wall crumbling down. Being so determined. Look it all had to be made small. Congrats. Now think you are so smart? Maybe I made you too smart.
____________________________________________________________________
Being neither sheriff nor his deputy, throwing no stones neither aspersions. Middle of the road, just a big picture. Not straying in weeds, thorny business bare-bone science, to inform not scare people.
‘Golden Helix’
Imagine if you will one morning you discovered the ‘code’ engrained in human cells that designs our ~20,000 proteins, what would you do? Have lunch-time pints at the Eagle pub in Cambridge and then play tennis? Ask what’s next? That actual day now 70 years ago did not immediately change the world. That discovery a slow boil. By now we’ve realised some startling implications. We learned how all life on the planet is related and on what it depends. How our parents created us with Love, that game of two victors. Two men James Watson and Francis Crick revealed to us that DNA miracle of our Creation, using essential contribution from Rosalind Franklin’s laboratory. Game set and match. In Church we’d learned meaning for our lives, now learning to know how God made us. Watson and Crick (herein: W/C), alone displayed brilliance, selected to place the Benben stone on top the pyramid. First to stare at Creators conception, it’s profound the machine constantly coiling and uncoiling unfelt, working to create cell life for all on earth, since that sixth day of Genesis. Their report on biology’s Crown Jewel a mere single page (Nature, April 1953) contained those 23 words that changed our world forever.
“It has not escaped our notice that the specific pairing we have postulated immediately suggests a possible copying mechanism for the genetic material.”
Because of what they all achieved, all that becomes Epic.
Heart of this matter
In 1962 three men won the Nobel prize, together contributed to figuring DNA’s twisted ladder structure, Maurice Wilkins, James Watson and Francis Crick.
“For their discoveries concerning the molecular structure of nucleic acids and its significance for information transfer in living material.”
Wilkins, primarily for significant X-ray diffraction imaging of purified DNA, while at Kings College London. From a small community of like-minded scientists, tasked with a common goal to decipher DNA’s structure, being both colleagues and friends betwixt Kings College and Cambridge University. Their efforts resulted in a magnificent triumph for British science, although from which controversy still persists and resonates to this day. One refrain still echoes, Dr. Franklin ‘passed over’ for Nobel award, tragically she died in 1958 and the Nobel not being awarded posthumously. Also long simmering twist in that tale as X-ray images from Rosalind Franklin developed at Kings provided evidence for helical DNA analysis used by W/C. Rosalind and her student Ray Gosling produced ‘beautiful’ X ray patterns of DNA. Three papers in tandem published in Nature, April 25, 1953, each group (W/C, Wilkins and Franklin) allotted space to display their contributions. Franklin’s focus was on preparation and detailed analysis of purified DNA structure, she stated the structure is probably helical but she did not construct a physical DNA model to enhance, elucidate that data, to ascertain a helical design rendered with ‘specific pairing’ hence lead on to predictions of function. W/C did construct a model, then by observation remarkably connected dots of how our DNA functions. Every human cell since Garden of Eden carries ancestor’s imprint, that displays our Family bonds with life on our planet.
Each research location excelled with as expected usual stubborn personalities, but this was a ‘team effort’, if not formalized. They shared camaraderie and data, as references from those papers revealed their intermingling, frequent travel on the train between London and Cambridge.
In the end an historic collaboration,
received brilliance required from all!
W/C wrote “We have been stimulated by a knowledge of the general nature of the unpublished experimental results and ideas by Dr. Wilkins and Dr. Franklin and coworkers.” In turn Rosalind thanked Francis Crick for discussions. A second W/C Nature paper, brief four weeks later on May 30, 1953, referred to X ray data obtained from Kings with Franklin and Wilkin’s papers referenced. Wilkins thanked W/C for ‘stimulation’ and Franklin for discussion. In a Scientific American article (1954) Crick gave Rosalind fulsome credit for the use of X ray pattern, including the iconic photo 51 from her lab. In their second Nature paper (July 25, 1953) Franklin and Gosling reported ‘evidence for a two chain helical molecule’.
Fair dues lads and lassie, all enshrined as science champions.
Those W/C Nature papers in 1953 now approaching biblical status, how they uncover and so clearly put on parade ‘something deeply hidden’ in our cells that is tasked to perpetuate precious gift of life. Perhaps next to Tablets from Moses and Magna Carta, the most profound documents on the planet. They describe a method of flexibility for Life’s variety, spontaneous disease causing genetic mutations, even deterioration with errors in aged cells. Humans may self-destruct, never fear they will be replaced, eternal relentless cycle out with old and in with new, cellular life stands tests of time. Our understanding advanced, making it possible to go mining for genes in later years, these are providing strategies for medical advances. Also a draft of the human genome was produced in February 2001.
Fun facts
Scatterings of the Green: New Zealander Maurice Wilkins with Dublin parents! Chicago born James Watson with Tipperary ancestor Lizzie Gleason. James generously donated to UCC and TCD, being ‘52% Irish’! He was inducted in the Irish America hall of fame. American Jerry Donohue made vital contribution to the W/C DNA model had a Grandpa from Cork. Celtic DNA working! Scientists as Superman never doing it for dollars, Cambridge demurred on DNA patents. Dr. Fleming firm No to patent penicillin, Banting and Best / University of Toronto sold Insulin rights for $1. Setting a bad example? Now while savvy IT entrepreneurs sail large Yachts on the Med! Wonderful that in 2013 a letter by Francis Crick to his son sold for $6 million, where Dad outlined structure of DNA, prior to publication, same year Crick’s Nobel medal fetched $2.27 million, Watson’s medal garnered $4.76 million in 2014. James was reunited with his medal, a generous buyer from Russia returned the medal! Good man!
Rosalind Franklin’s memory honoured with a building in her name at Cambridge University adorned with her sculpture at the entrance. Coveted Blue Plaque outside the Eagle pub in 2003 named for W/C, with announcement ‘How DNA carries Genetic Information’. Replaced by a plaque in 2023 with additional names Franklin and Wilkins. Also plaques inside commemorating Franklin, Wilkins and W/C. Good Cheer to all!
Odile Crick, wife of Francis, composed drawing of double helix DNA, since described as most recognized scientific diagram of the past century.
When Stars Align
Major serendipity played a role when by chance Jerry Donohue shared an office with W/C in February 1953, as credited on their April 1953 paper: ‘We are much indebted to Dr. Jerry Donohue for constant advice and criticism, especially on interatomic distances’. Jerry supplied crucial and final pieces for their towering DNA jig-saw, up to the ceiling! Jerry specialized in ‘hydrogen bonding’, worked with Dr. Linus Pauling for his Ph.D. Provided knowledge W/C required at the precise time. Demonstrating water-cooler chatter reigns essential, information served as lynchpin that day. ‘Go raibh maith agat!’ When engaged in research best not be DIY loner, labs thrive, live and breathe with random brain-storming. Lots of quality random yapping. Bright minds stuck behind thick skulls need feeding with unique data. Otherwise how be creative?
What’s going on out there on this earth? Tell me.
Need More!
On Saturday morning, 28 February 1953, W/C polished up their newly ‘hydrogen bonded’ model of DNA. Two strands in opposite directions form the helix. That lunch celebrated ‘most exciting molecule’ with delicious Abbots ale in the Eagle pub. Declared to patrons they discovered ‘secret of life’. Well indeed they had! These days Jerry Donohue likely an author on the manuscript, multiple authors now common perhaps less so previous times.
James lad of 24, Francis 35,
creatures with cells assembled by DNA,
instruments peering in pursuit from outside,
building their DNA structures,
go ponder on that with a pint.
Showing how God ‘invented’ life.
In it’s beginning.
Being all together
Most scientists boring as a rule, but not this group. Hardly rancor and turmoil, mostly friends prime of life, having fun in pursuit. Vital cogs in the wheel with best feelings. For most departed may rest in peace, lives fulfilled gifted halcyon days. Don’t kid yourself, likely such a blast! Only ticket on my bucket list, head to that Eagle pub hoist frothy pints, not bitter only glorious English Ale! Celebrate magnificent investigators in London and Cambridge. We owe debts never to forget, they answered that call to battle, sharpest minds required. Get to there on time brains scream and shout, harness best qualities and talents. God bless with lab’s backbone, research technicians, then gallop to winning posts. Fortunate to work on something so glorious, do not venture alone in throes of challenges. Discover new things! There’s loads more.
Never in research so much been owed by so many for so few.
It all smacks of collaborators no cloak and dagger. London and Cambridge yapping as women on Dublin’s Moore street back in those days. Needed each other, no strange bed-fellows bit awkward and grumpy as expected of normally introverted scientists. Mixture of skills converged and amplified having Johnnies and Rosaland on the spot. DNA as employed in conception and formation, original W/C metal plates on view at the Science museum in London. They discovered genetic code fundamentals! Only happens once. If you go there, realise how you are here!
USA competition
Over the horizon in California brilliant Dr. Linus Pauling in competition seeking identical quest. Hearing Pauling’s interest putting wind up nervous duo in Cambridge. Panic stations! Formidable Dr. Pauling researched protein structures, then on track for a Nobel (received in 1954).
“for his research into the nature of the chemical bond and its application to the elucidation of the structure of complex substances”
He achieved a second Nobel award for Peace Activism, only person awarded unshared two Nobel Prizes. Unfortunately, Feb 1953, Dr. Pauling published a now rejected triple helix model for DNA, to relief and surprise of an anxious British community. Currently accepted model revealed when Watson and Crick presented the double helix. James Watson attending a meeting in France (1952) at Royaumont heard Pauling talk about importance of creating models. Following that advice paid off, photos show W/C standing by their ladder structure. Dr. Pauling received Peace Nobel in 1962, same year as Watson, Crick and Wilkins won for Medicine. Now that’s fascinating!
Mindful mulling
What we have here is journey of our two journey men. Aspiring Professor big shot highfalutin dreams departed. But remain skilled in arts (aka tricks) of lab trades.
Seminar room, black board chalked spiral with the twist. Beer bottles secreted not be tempting passing enquires from ‘How’s it shaking’ crowd. Interfering scroungers expecting free gargle and interruptions. Like they discovered an oasis. They’d only get the hump.
“Yeah Tony read your draft. Rightly describes greatest reveal since Cleopatra with Mark Anthony. No doubt! Pressure piling with USA rumors. Only for the bold with those scrambles.”
“Mickey W/C constructed their DNA model, wire and metal, plastic balls, cardboard, glue, string, tacks with bits and bobs. Such tools (!) to figure that whole shebang, still beggars belief. Cost nothing in real money. Amazing secret solved right off the bat with that.”
Ratatattat
These days with Hadron Collider costing $4.75 billion, investigate if nano-strings or knot? Say we live in a simulation. Wondering what’s la difference for us? If so why bother with all the mechanics of cellular life?
“Tony collaborations can be a right dog’s breakfast. Francis Crick considered Wilkins and Franklin not cooperating maybe why he with Watson succeeded.”
“That pragmatic craft needed for wee labs to compete. In academic circles following one-off successful joint project celebrate, one day. Then persona non-grata, welcome mat removed from their lab, computer passwords changed. Tense nod with corridor passing. Now treated as an expired fool hanger on, shunned, unwelcome. Don’t want you on lucrative renewal grants not be sharing bigger spoils. The way it is, how to make the cuckoos grumble.”
“I know, first paper decent authorship as they grit their teeth, second gets you buried in the middle. Once your skills transferred it’s redundancy. Hit the road pal, we don’t want you.”
“If newsworthy you’ll not get a mention. Everyone for themselves, lessons for the learning. Stay relevant develop new stuff, they’ll be back, best buddies. Hail fellow well met. Go again!”
“Okay! I’ll grovel, my kids needing gruel in their bowl, failing no option on my plate. Also I do enjoy team’s banter challenges, filled by daily mirth. Not living rent free on Rockall island, all hands on deck, locating oysters with shiniest pearls! Alone is way tougher.”
“Tony that’s entirely logical as Darwin explained in ~600 pages.”
Why no Archimedes et al? Who filled the bath?
Michelanglo alone carried that block of stone?
Gigante bianco ordinario marble, at 8.5 tons.
Da Vinci painted the ceiling all solo?
Who held the ladder, cleaned brushes?
Newton ‘discovered’ God’s gravity all lonesome?
From whose farmer tree that apple fell?
Those neglected forgotten second fiddles?
‘If you prick them, do they not bleed?’
Einstein with E=MC2?
Albert alone.
“Mickey low hanging fruit our bread and butter. No plan B, DNA as planned. Not for nothing later times brave man Dr. Crick tackled ‘Consciousness’. Wrote ‘The Astonishing Hypothesis’ reached to top of that fruit tree.”
“With cheap wine my soul gets healed, when damaged by transient heartaches. Life’s better front of bars not behind.” Mickey’s philosophy.
“Rosalind endured WW2, confronted antiquated institutions restrictions for females. Still prevailed!”
“Yeah man! Bully for her. Tony old timey researchers smart as us. Except institution weird anti-female rules. What were they thinking? Embarrassing! Those different times.”
“Tragically as Madame Curie, she perhaps succumbed to danger pursuits with X ray, those days. Marie Curie’s lab-books still radioactive, stored in lead boxes. Can you imagine?” Says I.
“Okay Tony so why regular folks need knowing DNA and life stuff? Busy hustling a crust? Most people no clues how any engines work. Should you be messing, stirring potent pots?”
“Knowing stuff plus a decent shave all that separates us from chimps in Phoenix Park.”
“Nowadays taking photos of slides mid-talk presentations, remember ‘loose lips sink ships’ be as cloistered clergy speak nowt.”
“At meetings I’m Sherlock, snooping, earwigging crouton trails, follow dropped crumbs. Aiming be back at the lab bench ‘inspired’ before banquet’s tiramisu served. Elementary dear Watson. If they stand and display stuff we use it. Down each boreen that’s Public domain, so fair play! Not shenanigans. Look we’re swashbuckling pirates no Queensbury rules. Get a sniff it’s steam-rollers both sides down O’Connell street. Grant agencies invest, expecting delivery in promised time. Otherwise alligator see you later. Mickey them’s only rule we exist by.”
“Imagine pressure on that team in ‘53? One winner no silver medal. With us wishing to make our nation proud like winning Eurovision or Olympics. They’ll never forget!”
Let Cobbler stick to his ‘last’,
but when technology advances go!
Ride that pony guns a blazing.
When all is sat there for taking,
be first for once not be ‘me too’.
Also rans end with nul point.
“Game changers level the turf be first served, before rascals gather round the scallywag’s buffet. When Manna from heaven falls get in like Flint. Drive a four wheel-barrow gather up everything as monkeys in corn fields. Belly-full big shot labs like oil tankers, slow to turn. Our paddle canoe easier maneuver. We can do.”
“Tony they’ll cop on never get light years ahead! Don’t be stuck like pylons in mud.”
“Our advantage, as steroids, oxygen hiking Everest, corked baseball bat, wind assisted 100 yard dash, green shirt recruiting using Irish grandparents rule. Next up great-grand parents. With breakthroughs jump the gun, flood the zone, grab brass rails, ascend the ladder while it’s lowered.”
“Tony we can be big shots, podium with the flag, ‘Amhrán na bhFiann’. Bottom feeders do a wrap up.” Mickey’s philosophy.
“Okay back to basics, W/C reported two complementary strands displaying genetic implications.”
“Complementary how so? Not so elementary? Eh Sherlock? Clarify for readers.” Mickey in his element hammering beers.
“Rarely gets a mention, I’ll bet you’ve loads of silver coins stashed. Look I’ve taken this horse to water now landed in marshy weeds. They speculated two strands ‘unzip’, held together by weak electrostatic forces. Okay for the folks? Life’s secret needs get unzipped. Ergo Eureka! How babies get made!”
“Howzat?”
“Folks go look it up, bit of DIY needed. Check diagrams in Biochemistry books for homework. Appreciate genius, not serendipity derived or space aliens.”
“W/C said it was beautiful so must be right. Teach as Religion and science.”
“Yeah boggles the mind. In all biology that’s the best discovery. Well so far.”
“Try alone cry alone. Need a team all minds do not think alike. Labs are full of odd balls.”
“Sure there’s rogues and vagabonds, but who hesitates gets lost.”
———————————————————————
DNA
Eventually when smarter worlds reflect on 1953, then Kings and Cambridge truly celebrated! Knowledge revealed internals of exquisite DNA machines! Every life form constructed, every cell DNA dependent. Because of DNA’s strident incessant working from unicellular life to blue whales composed of quadrillions, each single cell following their plotted role creating that magnificence. How? Biologists staggered at complexity of our Creator’s cellular machine. Whatever they might claim.
Not enough understanding of facts of life.
I’m not something made by ‘accident’.
Almost everything still unknown.
How to make a tiny spider?
Make silk thread in cells.
Go figure that.
Yeah!
(Don’t think so)
Cells duplicate as if by magic, complex forces likely to exceed understanding. Imagine as Genghis Khan’s empire in the year 1200 tasked to reverse engineer an Air Force fighter plane, times a trillion? Without a creator no motivation for life. As DNA is required how to create DNA? What was available in nature to make the first DNA cell? Hello?
Endless horse/cart dilemmas.
All to fall at Becher’s Brook.
.
Instructions for our ~20,000 proteins, detailed construction plans of life forms contained on miracle DNA molecule, how in God’s name occurs by chance? Like declaring Giza pyramids emerged naturally arranged, mountain deposit of million stones as Everest. Come on! Piffle and waffle. Smarty-pant primates need recalibrations, step back take another look at what we know. Lots, but still peanuts. Astrophysics explore moons explain craters, answers for all surveyed. Rocks rolling round a cosmos, as compelled obeying Isaac’s rules from Principia Mathematica. Isaac in 1687 made it look easy. While biologists directly observe a working hand, mind, planning of a creator.
Bugs to big shots.
Universe created need filling with life’s presence.
Otherwise?
What’s it for?
When spreading life around a planet DNA is your only man. Planet life at odds with a harsh Universe, delicate life such a bother, needing many protections to flourish. Remember how they wrapped Apollo men going out there. Start infusing bugs on the planet, add water and sunshine add billion years, from rocks life sprouts. Each Goldilocks planet creates customized plethora of life, from Aardvarks to Bob’s your uncle on to Zebras. None of us arrived by rocket we’ve many creepy crawlies in family lineage. From whence we came, bacteria lead to multi-arm crawly bugs, lickedy split add bombardments mammals will arrive. Take advantage of asteroid, volcanic and climate changes to renew allowing others to present! DNA baked in the cake to overcome, take advantage of calamities. Supreme plan required each legion getting smarter, relentless ascent of life. Remember spraying flies with insecticide, busy decimating wayward ancestors, many took their turn being parasites, mosquitoes our worst enemy. Constant renewals required, built flexible to jump obstacles bypass obsolescence. Human life achieved now sits astride the planet, even our Solar system, warts and all. We built glorious Cathedrals, magnificent Vatican halls of prayer, multiple Monuments worldwide. Dreadful concentration camps for our eternal shame. DNA driven to innovate by stealth over eons exploiting every niche. Our planet contributes kangaroos and idiots, elephants, giraffe, jelly fish, even keep going with original vital bugs, no place left barren.
Female/male,
now seven billion!
Fall in love enraptured,
vital planned component.
We can handle it!
Dinosaurs vanquished, mammals succeed, eager dexterity developed hidden in nocturnal habitats. Evading dinos honed furry creatures survival instincts, cunning intelligence enhanced. When we depart smart money is Kangaroos (population now 40 million), with large yapping parrots in tow.
Aftermath
Rosalind shared good times with Francis Crick and James Watson in her so few remaining years.
NOTE:
Concerning my essay ‘Eureka Fest’ published in The Galway Review. Watson and Crick (W/C) revealed the double helix structure and ‘function’ of DNA in 1953. There still remains interesting controversy as highlighted and reviewed in my essay. Dr. James Watson passed away this November 6, at 97. It might be timely to rerun this essay to inform? It clarifies some inaccurate understandings from that time.Only W/C report contained the 23 words that changed our world:“It has not escaped our notice that the specific pairing we have postulated immediately suggests a possible copying mechanism for the genetic material.”Best wishes.Brian O’Dowd
The Galway Review 