Crick

A Mind in Motion – from DNA to the Brain

De: Matthew Cobb

Narrado por: Neil Gardner

'Cobb is a rare jewel' Adam Rutherford

Francis Crick was a restless, relentless thinker, as fascinated by Beat poetry and psychedelics as the genetic meaning of life and the inner workings of the brain. Yet for all his drive, he was driven by collaboration: with Jim Watson on DNA, with artists in Cambridge and California, and with his wife Odile, who drew the figure of the double helix that illuminated his most famous discovery. It was his debates and conflicts with these collaborators that powered a mind in motion.

Meticulously researched and shot through with insight and electrifying detail, Matthew Cobb reveals the man who changed our view of life forever. Crick is the first major biography of one of the twentieth century's most exciting minds.

©2025 Matthew Cobb (P)2025 Profile Books Ltd

Fascinating if completely beyond me!!!

Having listened to a couple of eminent virologists since the beginning of the pandemic, I've become familiar with quite a bit of biomedical terminology. But alas their meaning remains an enigma haha!

Recurring names include:
Double helix
DNA is built from four chemical “bases,” which act like letters in a genetic alphabet:
• A = Adenine
• T = Thymine
• C = Cytosine
• G = Guanine
These bases pair in a specific way:
• A pairs with T
• C pairs with G

DNA
mRNA Proteins
Ribosomes
The Central Dogma
Reverse transcriptase

Crick appears to have been quite a character! Inspirational and often over inflated, at times wild and immoral, but over time appreciative of others. Yet despite having an enormous ego he appears to have shunned personal glorification and the media. Photos were definitely a no no.

The first few years of being familiar with Rosalind Franklin seemed to have been quite fractured, but from the publication of his Nature papers on the double helix in 1953, they became good friends, holidaying together, and hosting her in the early days of her illness which eventually cut short her brilliant career.

I would ordinarily have jumped at the chance of reading James Watson's account of the discovery of the double helix, but Watson's focus on personal behaviour etc in the book almost severed their relationship, only recovering some 3 years following its publication, so I've given up that idea.

Having already mentioned Franklin, the list of his acquaintances reads like a Who's Who of 20th century scientists and philosophers. Perhaps not surprising for a Nobel prize winner!!!

Latterly fascinated by consciousness which was way over my head, which is approximately identical to all his thought and study.

Absolutely riveting. So glad I've tacked it!