James Watson’s genetic prescription: Have kids early

How can parents avoid passing along the genes for mental illness? Sixty years after he played a lead role in discovering DNA’s double-helix structure, controversial biologist James Watson has run the numbers — and his advice might well spark yet another controversy.

Watson says you should have your kids early, before your DNA goes downhill.

Wikipedia’s entry for Watson has a whole subcategory devoted to the provocative statements he’s made over the years. His comments on autism may produce another entry for that subcategory: “You can imagine a scenario where you make the decision, you’re going to be a mother at 45. And then you get an autistic child. Should you blame yourself? I say, yes.”

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Read the full, original story here: DNA pioneer James Watson’s genetic prescription: Have kids early

Additional Resources:

• “James Watson retires amidst race controversy,” New Scientist
• “The Mortification of James Watson,” TIME
• “Parental Age, Especially The Father’s, Is Linked To Genetic Mutations In The Child,” Forbes