编辑丨王多鱼 排版丨水成文 2025 年 11 月 6 日， 20 世纪最重要的科学家之一、DNA 双螺旋结构发现者、诺贝尔奖得主 詹姆斯·沃 森 （ James Watson ） 去世，他于一周前因感染接受治疗后转入临终关怀病房，享年 97 岁。 撰文丨王聪 詹姆斯·沃森 ，出生于 1928 年 4 月 6 日 。1947 年获得芝加哥大学理学学士学位，1950 年获得 印第安 纳大学伯明顿分校获得博士学位， 1951 年，年仅 23 岁的 詹姆斯·沃森 博士毕业后前往英国剑桥大学卡 文迪许实验室进修，沃森在这里遇到了正在准备博士论文的 弗朗西斯·克里克 （Francis Crick） ，两人一 拍即合，从 1951 年 10 月开始转向 DNA 结构 方向的研究。 受到 罗莎琳德·富兰克林 （Rosalind Franklin） 拍摄的 DNA 的 X 射线图片 （即著名的" 照片51号 "） 的启发， 詹姆斯·沃森 和 弗朗西斯·克里克 提出了 DNA 的双螺旋结构 。该发现于 1953 年 4 月 25 日发 表在了 Nature 期刊，同时， 莫里斯·威尔金斯 （Maurice Wilkins） 和 ...

Group 1 - The article discusses the historical context and implications of the Human Genome Project (HGP), initiated in 2000, which aimed to map the human genome and its significance in understanding life [2][4] - It highlights the misleading metaphors often used to describe the genome, such as "blueprint" and "instruction manual," which oversimplify the complexity of genetic information [4][5] - The article emphasizes that decoding the genome has proven to be more complex than initially thought, leading to more questions rather than definitive answers about life processes [6][8] Group 2 - The author argues for a new perspective on biology that moves away from viewing life as a machine, suggesting that life operates through self-organizing principles rather than strict genetic control [7][9] - It is noted that life is a multi-layered process with each level having its own rules, and understanding life requires looking at these complex organizational structures rather than just genetic components [11][12] - The article concludes by suggesting that the intricacies of life should inspire awe and appreciation, rather than being reduced to simplistic comparisons with machines or divine creation [12][13]

Core Insights - Chen Runsheng is a pioneer in non-coding gene research and a participant in the Human Genome Project, which is one of the largest life science projects globally [1][2] - He emphasizes that the future of AI in China lies not in the quantity of chips but in the density of intelligent computing [1] Group 1: Contributions to Genomics - Under Chen's leadership, China became the sixth country globally to possess large-scale genome sequencing capabilities [2][6] - In 1999, China joined the International Human Genome Project, taking on the task of sequencing approximately 30 million base pairs of the human chromosome 3 short arm, which represented 1% of the entire project [6] - Chen's team innovated sequencing methods, completing their tasks two years ahead of schedule, demonstrating significant advancements in genomic research [6] Group 2: Discoveries in Non-Coding DNA - Chen discovered that only 2%-3% of the human genome encodes proteins, while 97% consists of non-coding sequences previously deemed "junk DNA" [6][7] - His team focused on these non-coding regions, leading to the identification of new disease-related loci, particularly in cancer research [7] Group 3: Open Science and Collaboration - Since 1993, Chen's team has established a comprehensive database of 640,000 non-coding molecular information, which they chose to share openly with the global scientific community [7] - Chen believes that science is a collective human contribution and emphasizes the importance of sharing research findings for the advancement of knowledge [7] Group 4: AI and Future Innovations - Chen has been involved in AI research since the late 1980s, applying artificial neural networks to predict coding genes [8] - His current work involves integrating traditional Chinese medicine data into AI models, aiming to create a platform that merges different medical perspectives [8] - He advocates for viewing AI not merely as a tool but as a new center for innovation, which could lead to more creative possibilities in research and development [8]