DNA in CSI

DNA has been a helpful tool to solve crimes. People who use DNA as a clue to solve crimes, trust a 100% in the results. In 1984 was the first time scientists could use DNA to differentiate people. DNA uses a small part of a person to know all the genetic information about that person.

Thanks to the DNA, a man who was pointed guilty to murder 2 girls, showed up that he was innocent thanks to the DNA tests.

The DNA tests are not used only with humans; it’s also used in plants. Scientists used the DNA of a tree to know the true about a HIV infection.

In 1990, law got a databank and thanks to the DNA results, the criminal was arrested.

The main advantage of DNA is that the results are efficient and accurate. But the DNA has also a disadvantage, DNA profiles could be eventually to certain illnesses and character traits and this information would be used by other organisations to the disadvantage of a person.

Sometimes contamination of the DNA may lead to errors in the results.

ETHICS IN SCIENCE

Franklin was an excellent scientist; she started at the age of 15. Her father was always opposing her decision in which career to choose because he wanted to be a social worker. She was the only part responsible in solving the DNA structure. She once showed a picture to Watson and immediately, he took the idea of her and make the discover public.

When all news and media saw what Watson published, they gave all the credit to Watson and Crick and Franklin’s idea was only known as supporting details, even though she was the one who discovered it.

In 1962 James Watson and Francis Crick received the Nobel Prize in medicine because they determined the structure of DNA.  Although Rosalind Franklin was the one who discovered it, she was not honored at all. She was the only one who discovered it. When Watson and Crick saw what she was doing, they took her idea and took all the credits. Because it was in the 1960’s there was machismo so people only honored Watson and Crick and not Franklin.

I think that only because of her death she was not rewarded. What Crick and Watson did is not acceptable. In my opinion, they should be punished because they only said it was their idea and they knew it was Franklin’s idea. It’s not fair that they take all the credit if the one who did all the work was Franklin.

I can’t believe authorities let it happen and there was no punishment for them. Even though, they were rewarded with such a big price without knowing the truth and they took all the credit. The Nobel Prize says that only the people who live can get honored and rewarded but it was Franklin’s idea and not Watson nor Crick’s one.