Just 60 years ago, the initials DNA were unknown to the public. A handful of scientists were in a race to discover the structure of this complex molecule which possibly held the secret of life. Today, DNA is a crucial part of our knowledge about health, identity and our whole world.
In April 1953, James Watson and Francis Crick published their conclusion that the structure of DNA was a double helix. In this programme Robert Winston traces the ways in which DNA has entered our lives, including a new interview with the 85 year old James Watson, who reflects on the consequences of his pioneering work with Crick.
Listen to the clip: Francis Crick and James Watson relive the moment they finally solved the riddle of the structure of DNA, the solution that would open up a new world of scientific research which continues to this day.