Fifty years to the day from the discovery of the structure of DNA, one of its co-discoverers has caused a storm by suggesting that stupidity is a genetic disease that should be cured.
On 28 February 1953 biologists James Watson and Francis Crick discovered the structure of DNA 鈥� the chemical code for all life. The breakthrough revealed how genetic information is passed from one generation to the next and revolutionised biology and medicine.
But in a documentary series to be screened in the UK on Channel 4, Watson says that low intelligence is an inherited disorder and that molecular biologists have a duty to devise gene therapies or screening tests to tackle stupidity.
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鈥淚f you are really stupid, I would call that a disease,鈥� says Watson, now president of the Cold Spring Harbour Laboratory, New York. 鈥淭he lower 10 per cent who really have difficulty, even in elementary school, what鈥檚 the cause of it? A lot of people would like to say, 鈥榃ell, poverty, things like that.鈥� It probably isn鈥檛. So I鈥檇 like to get rid of that, to help the lower 10 per cent.鈥�
Watson, no stranger to controversy, also suggests that genes influencing beauty could also be engineered. 鈥淧eople say it would be terrible if we made all girls pretty. I think it would be great.鈥�
Complex traits
But other scientists have questioned both the ethics and plausibility of his suggestions.
Nikolas Rose, a bioethics expert at the London School of Economics, says such genetic engineering may not be possible: 鈥淭hese are complex traits, with multiple genes interacting with the environment.鈥�
鈥淭hese are characteristically casual and provocative statements by James Watson,鈥� Rose adds. 鈥淚 think they should be treated just as amusing rather than as a serious account of what behavioural genetics or any genetics should be doing, or will be able to do.鈥�
Geneticist Steve Jones, at University College London, dismisses Watson鈥檚 comments about beauty as 鈥渄aft鈥�. 鈥淭he concept of beauty is a subjective one,鈥� he told New 女生小视频.
No fool
But he adds: 鈥淭he IQ suggestion is a little bit less silly, if you turn the logic on its head. Watson likes to annoy 鈥� no question 鈥� but he鈥檚 no fool.鈥� Genetics could and does help people with severe disorders like Fragile X syndrome and phenylketonuria, both of which affect IQ, says Jones: 鈥淭he problem is where do we draw the line?鈥�
Series producer David Dugan, of Windfall Films, said the programmes also show Watson visiting a family who greatly value their child with Down鈥檚 syndrome, as well as their child without Down鈥檚.
鈥淲e were keen to confront Jim with this 鈥� he was genuinely moved,鈥� but insisted that geneticists should work to eliminate the disorder. Dugan believes Watson鈥檚 views emanate from his own family鈥檚 experiences with his son, who has a mental illness resembling schizophrenia.
DNA begins in the UK on 8 March on Channel 4.
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