American molecular biologist, geneticist and zoologist James Watson was born on this day, April 6, in 1928. In 1953, he co-authored with Francis Crick the academic paper proposing the double helix structure of the DNA molecule.

Watson was photographed for the 1992 book American Legends in which Karsh is quoted: “The informal and charming Nobelist, not content to rest on the laurels of his spectacular youthful discovery of the structure of DNA, is now himself an inspiring mentor to a group of brilliant young research scientists.”