Francis Crick

Francis Crick was born in England in 1916. He was a physicist who became a biologist. He teamed up with James Watson to solve a big mystery. Together, they found the shape of DNA in 1953. This was a huge step in understanding life.

His Big Discovery

Crick and Watson worked in a lab in Cambridge, England. They used clues from other scientists to build a model. They showed DNA is shaped like a twisted ladder. This shape helps DNA copy itself. Their work changed biology forever.

Later Work

Crick kept studying DNA and how it makes proteins. He helped explain the 'genetic code.' This code tells cells how to build our bodies. Later in life, he studied the brain and how we think. He won the Nobel Prize in 1962 with Watson and Wilkins.

Fun Facts

• He first studied physics before switching to biology.
• He worked on secret weapons during World War II.
• He loved to talk about ideas over tea and lunch with other scientists.

Did You Know?

Crick wrote a letter to his son explaining DNA. That letter was later sold for over 5 million dollars.