Click: The Moving Mind – From DNA to the Brain
Matthew Cobb profile book, England. Basic Books

Francis Crick missed a crucial seminar in 1951, likely because he was occupied with his partner. James Watson attended but failed to take proper notes, leading to inaccuracies in their initial DNA model.

This anecdote is just one of many compelling elements in Click: The Moving Mind – From DNA to the Brain, a biography by zoologist and author Matthew Cobb. If you’re curious about the discovery of DNA’s structure and subsequent developments, this is the must-read book.

Crick, raised as a shopkeeper’s son, struggled academically at first and didn’t gain admission to Oxbridge. He eventually earned a second-class degree and a rather dull PhD on the viscosity of water. After serving in WWII, he entered civil service, but his marriage faltered and his son lived with relatives. However, his readings nurtured a passion for the molecular foundations of life and consciousness. He re-entered research, working in an independent lab in Cambridge.

In 1949, he began exploring biomolecule structures through X-ray diffraction. His notes detail various mishaps: spills, misplaced films, and sample errors. Crick once flooded his boss’s hallway twice and incessantly conversed with Watson, irritating their co-workers. The two were ultimately separated to different rooms.

By 1952, Crick had a new family but faced bankruptcy and potential job loss under his boss, Lawrence Bragg. Competing biochemist Linus Pauling falsely claimed to have deduced DNA’s structure—this drove Bragg to allow Crick and Watson to pursue the DNA research unhindered. By March 1953, they had successfully unraveled it.

While chemist Rosalind Franklin’s data was indeed significant, Cobb asserts that Crick and Watson did not misappropriate it. He also highlights that Franklin, Watson, and Wilkins collaborated more than previously recognized.

It’s often overlooked that Crick and Watson acknowledged Franklin and Wilkins in their renowned publication, Nature. A paper by Franklin and Wilkins coincided with their work, and she developed a friendship with Crick and his second wife, Odile, often staying with them during her recovery from cancer surgery, which ultimately claimed her life. This untimely death is why she wasn’t a recipient of the 1962 Nobel Prize.

Crick later played an instrumental role in decoding how DNA encodes proteins, contributing many vital insights to the process. While the biography remains engaging at this point, it loses some momentum as it shifts focus to Crick’s life, rather than Cobb’s narrative. Following the genetic code’s unveiling in the 1960s, Crick published several poorly received papers and likely faced depression in 1971.

In 1977, he relocated to California and shifted his focus to consciousness research. Cobb posits that his contributions in this field were as groundbreaking as his molecular biology achievements, including efforts to define the brain’s connectome.

This biography paints Crick as a multifaceted individual. He was anti-religious and anti-monarchy, celebrated his remarriage openly, championed cannabis legalization, experimented with acid, and occasionally hosted wild gatherings where adult films were shown. There are also allegations of unwanted advances towards several women.

Moreover, Crick corresponded with individuals expressing racist views regarding IQ and genetics but ultimately recognized that the matters were more nuanced than he once believed. Since the 1970s, he notably refrained from discussing this topic, especially in stark contrast to Watson, who passed away last week at 97.

It’s evident that Crick’s triumph stemmed not only from his brilliance but also from his readiness to fail and his willingness to propose and publish many ideas that did not pan out. For instance, one Saturday, after reviewing a paper outlining X-ray results for proteins, he, with a colleague’s assistance, was able to determine its structure by noon.

As I read, I reflected that perhaps Crick’s qualifications might not align with the current scientific standards. Today’s researchers might be astonished to learn that he had no formal education and only submitted one grant proposal. The legacy of geniuses like Crick may be struggling to thrive in a system that hasn’t nurtured their kind.