AnimpactfulAmerican

TheimpactofDNAdoublehelixmaynotsoundsospecial,becauseDNAispart
ofaperson,andonemightsaywhatdoesknowingwhattheDNAdoublehelixlooklikehelpin
reallifesituations.IbelieveJamesD.Watson,thecodiscovererofthestructureoftheDNA
doublehelixin1953alongwithFrancisCrickwasthemostinfluentialAmericanbecausethe
impactoffindingouttheDNAstructurehasledtotheimprovementofdiseasediagnosticsand
treatment,advancementinagriculture,andadvancementinforensicscience.
Whensomeonewassick,intheoldenday,theywoulddrinkremedies,orifthedisease
wasfataltheywouldbeontheirdeathbedbecausetherewasntanopportunityforacure.Today,
...Ourabilitytoactuallydiagnosediseasesearlyonhasbeenvastlyimproved...wehavebeen
abletobetterassessapersonsgeneticsusceptibilitytospecific
disease(
http://www.exploredna
).ByknowingmoreoftheDNAhelixscientistswereableto
experimentandtestapersonsbodytomakesurethepersonwasfreefromillnessesbymaking
medicinetokillthediseaseinthebody.TheuseofDNAhasescalatedtousingthesimplestof
thingstotestforpaternityordiseases,ScientistshavebeenusingsinglestrandsofDNAasnew
probesfordisease,allowingdoctorstoaccuratelydiagnoseapatientandsave
lives(
http://www.pbs.org
).Byusingstrandsofhairorsaliva,doctorshavebeenabletofinda
virusandsoonmedicinesweremadetokillofftheharmfulbacteria,andifamanwasa
suspectedfather.Today,itiseasytoknowwhoissickandhowtocurethemorwhoisthefather
ofasonordaughter,simplybytheuseofDNA.

DNAhashelpedtoextendagricultureandbenefitsociety.After,Jamesandhispartner
foundthatDNAwasabletoreproduce,manypeoplewerecuriousifitwouldbehelpfulto
satisfytheirneeds,theywerentwrong....whentheseprocesseswereunderstood...theycould
modifyspecificgenesandcontrolspecificdesirabletraitstoproducebetteryields,better
resistancetoinsectsanddiseaseandeventheproductionofspecificproteinsorcompoundsin
theorganism(
www.livinghistoryfarm.org
).WhenDNAwasfullyunderstood,farmersand
scientistsbegantouseDNAasawaytomakefoodlastlongerandmakefoodcomeout
perfect,sosocietywillhavemore,bigger,andlongerlastingfruitsandvegetables.Agriculture
wasimpactedbythediscoveryofthedoublehelix,...allowsfarmerstoproducemorenutritious
produce(
http://www.exploredna
).Since,farmerswereabletoproducemorenutritiouscrop,
theygainedmoremoneybecausepeople/companieswantedtobuywhatseemedgoodtoeatand
sell.
Ifthievesstoleandneverwenttojail,thentheywouldkeepstealing,andperhapsmany
morepeoplewoulddothesame,sincetheywouldn'tgetpunishedbecausetheywouldnotbe
caught.But,today,forensicsciencehasbeenabletostopfromcrimefrombeingaheadwiththe
helpofDNA.IntheUnitedStates,theDNAidentificationActof1994gavetheF.B.Ithe
authoritytostartanationalDNAindextoassistwithsolving
crimes(
http://www.bioworld.com
).Since,DNAhelpedtoknowwhothepersonwasthat
touchedanobjectbecausethefingerprintswouldbeontheobjectithasbeenveryeasyfor
forensicscientiststosolvethemysteriesofmurders,robberies,kidnappings,etc.Becausethe
personsDNAwouldbetracked.

IfitwasntforJamesD.Watsonandhispartner,FrancisCrick,whodiscoveredthe
doublehelixofDNA,thensocietywouldnthavebeenimpactedeconomicallyorsociallyinany
way.BythediscoveryofthedoublehelixoftheDNA,ithasmadesocietyabetterandjustful
placetolivein.