The Discovery of DNA Essay - 723 Words

DNA – the very molecule that defines who we are. It is still fascinating that a molecule that is so small that is not visible to the naked eye determines not just our physical appearance but also our mental wellbeing. Over 60 years, the discovery of the double helix DNA had impacted various fields relating to Biology and Chemistry, contributing to the advancement of technology and subsequently mankind too. The discovery of DNA had opened up many opportunities in the field of genetics. By analysis a DNA of an individual, we are able to diagnose diseases that are hereditary at an early stage. Genetic diseases are diseases that arise from one or more abnormalities in a genotype (or genotypes) (Elston, 311). Genetic diseases such as sickle†¦show more content†¦Paternity tests are done to identify a child’s biological parents, which, according to Ian Murnaghan, â€Å"has a significant effect on a childs upbringing and his or her life†. Many cases of paternit y testing is done to ensure that the biological parent takes responsibility for his or her child. This is not limited to the entertainment industry, where famous artists such as Mick Jagger were made to take responsibility over his biological son through a paternity testing (Watson, 286). On the other hand, families are being reunited through the use of DNA as well. Relatives that were separated due to extreme circumstances were able to reunite with their family. Long lost relatives and children that were given up for adoption had benefitted from this, allowing them to gain a sense of belonging and a true â€Å"home† to return to. Mary-Claire King, who was then a professor of epidemiology and genetics at the University of California at Berkeley, used genetic testing to reunite children with their grandparents after their parents had â€Å"disappeared† during Argentina’s â€Å"dirty war† (Kaye, 98). Apart from humans, DNA had also impacted other living things such as animals and plants. With the discovery of DNA, the agriculture field had improved tremendously in both quality and quantity. The quest to produce plants that contains better traits had been initiated by Gregor Mendel. Mendel had worked with the characteristics of pea plants and coined theShow MoreRelatedThe Discoveries Of The Discovery Of Dna957 Words   |  4 PagesThe discovery of DNA is arguably one of the most important breakthroughs of genetics in the 19th and 20th centuries. Its discovery is littered with successes, failures, and even heartache. Numerous scientists are attributed to the discovery of DNA as a genetic material and even many more are also credited to the discovery of the molecule, structure, and function. Without the work of these remarkable scientists, the medical advancements over the last 50 years would not be possible. In 1865Read MoreThe Discovery Of The Dna1088 Words   |  5 PagesScientist Who Co-Discovered the DNA Says Our Genes Were Brought Here by Aliens Francis Crick (8 June 1916 — 28 July 2004) was an English scientist who was most noted for being a co-discoverer of the structure of the DNA molecule in 1953 alongside James D. Watson. Francis Crick Watson and Maurice Wilkins were jointly awarded the 1962 Nobel Prize for Physiology for Medicine â€Å"for their discoveries concerning the molecular structure of nucleic acids and its significance for information transfer inRead MoreThe Discovery Of Dna Testing1179 Words   |  5 Pagesspecialized tools and processes while utilizing new discoveries to aid understanding of the past. One significant advancement is the discovery of Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA). The discovery of DNA has greatly enhanced our ability to analyze ancient remains and interpret the findings within the field of archeology. To fully demonstrate the impact that DNA has brought to the field of archeology it is important to understand the historical discovery of DNA and initial integration into the field of archeologyRead MoreThe Discovery Of The Structure Of Dna1089 Words   |  5 PagesRosalind Franklin and her Contribution to the Structure of DNA Specific Purpose: To enable the audience to reflect on how Rosalind Franklin contributed to the discovery of the structure of DNA. Introduction: I. Open with Impact: Could you having a significant role in one of the greatest scientific achievements of all time, but not getting credit for it? Not only that, but constantly putting yourself in harm’s way to make this discovery, and eventually dying because of it? II. Thesis Statement:Read MoreThe Discovery Of The Dna Structure2092 Words   |  9 PagesOne of the most important things discovered and understood in biology within science, has been the discovery of the DNA structure. Where DNA is the abbreviation for deoxyribonucleic acid, though it is more known by nearly everyone simply as DNA. The idea behind DNA is that it is a self-replicating material that can be found in all living organisms, especially humans. The structure of DNA was solved in the year 1953, and was solved by four very important scientists who were; Francis Crick, RosalindRead MoreEssay On DNA Discoveries945 Words   |  4 PagesDiscoveries in DNA, cell biology, evolution, biotechnology have been among the major achievements in biology over the past 200 years with accelerated discoveries and insights over the last 50 years. Consider the progress we have made in these areas of human knowledge. Present at least three of the discoveries you find to be most important and d escribe their significance to society, health, and the culture of modern life. DNA per medical dictionary is defined as A nucleic acid that carries the geneticRead MoreThe Discovery Of The Double Helix And Dna979 Words   |  4 PagesDNA is the central dogma of modern biology, it is present in all living things from bacteria to mammals. DNA carries the genetic information of the organism and is used in processes like mitosis, meiosis and protein production. The reason as to why I chose this topic specifically is because it is central to my favourite aspect of biology, genetics. Prior to the discover of the double helix and DNA itself there was some information and experiments done on genetics with what little knowledge theyRead MoreEssay on The Discovery Of The Structure Of DNA1526 Words   |  7 PagesJames Watson and Francis Crick discovered the structure of DNA, but only by drawing on the work of many scientists who came before them. (Maddox, 2003) In 1944, Oswald T. Avery, Colin M. MacLeod, and Maclyn McCarty published â€Å"Studies on the Chemical Nature of the Substance Inducing Transformation of Pneumococcal Types†, which was the first scientific work to identify DNA as the molecule that carried genetic information, and became a breakthrough at that time. (Avery, Macleod, McCarty, 1944) BeforeRead More Discovery of the Structure of DNA Essay2374 Words   |  10 PagesDiscovery of the Structure of DNA On the last day of February in 1953, according to James Watson, Francis Crick announced to the patrons of the Eagle Pub in Cambridge, â€Å"We have discovered the secret of life† (Watson 115, 1980). As Brian Hayes, the author of â€Å"The Invention of the Genetic Code† states, â€Å"If life ever had a secret, the double helix of DNA was surely it† (1). However, it was not the work of these two men alone that led to the discovery of the power the lies within the double helixRead MoreThe Discovery Of The Dna Double Helix1913 Words   |  8 PagesThe discovery of the DNA double helix is known to be accredited to James Watson and Francis Crick. Watson describes the events that led up to the discovery in his book The Double Helix. Although they both have put in a significant amount of time and work to find the structure of DNA, one individual who was key to putting their pieces together was Rosalind Franklin. Considering Franklin’s efforts and contributions to the X-ray diffraction images of DNA, which have helped Watson and Crick with their