A groundbreaking new biography, Crick: A Mind in Motion – From DNA to the Brain by Matthew Cobb, delivers a refreshingly candid portrait of one of the 20th century’s most influential scientists. Far from a sanitized hero-worship, the book reveals a brilliant, flawed, and often contradictory figure whose relentless curiosity reshaped our understanding of life itself.
From Unlikely Beginnings to Molecular Breakthroughs
Francis Crick’s path to scientific immortality was anything but conventional. Initially failing to meet the standards for Oxbridge, he drifted through a second-class degree and a tedious PhD before being thrust into wartime work on sea mines. It was only later, driven by an insatiable intellectual hunger, that he returned to research, initially scraping by in an independent Cambridge lab. This biography doesn’t shy away from the messiness of his early career: the spilled chemicals, misloaded films, and the persistent annoyance he caused colleagues.
The book vividly recounts the chaotic energy of his collaboration with James Watson. Banished to a remote room for their disruptive behavior, they embarked on the race to decipher DNA’s structure. The narrative dispels the myth of stolen data from Rosalind Franklin, arguing instead for a more collaborative dynamic than previously acknowledged. All four researchers – Crick, Watson, Franklin, and Maurice Wilkins – contributed, with their work appearing side-by-side in the landmark 1953 Nature paper.
Beyond the Double Helix: A Life of Contradictions
Crick’s contributions didn’t end with DNA. He played a pivotal role in cracking the genetic code, but the biography doesn’t gloss over the subsequent decline in his output. After the major breakthroughs, his research faltered, and he experienced what appears to have been a depressive episode.
Later in life, he shifted his focus to consciousness, pioneering approaches that are now mainstream in neuroscience, such as the study of the brain’s “connectome”. Yet, this intellectual brilliance existed alongside personal contradictions. The book details Crick’s unconventional lifestyle: his open marriage, support for cannabis legalization, and even the screening of pornography at wild parties. Disturbingly, it also acknowledges his unwanted sexual advances towards women and his correspondence with racists about IQ and genetics, though he later appeared to reassess these views.
A System That May Not Allow Another Crick
Perhaps the most sobering takeaway is the realization that Crick’s success might be impossible today. He never formally taught, wrote only one grant application, and thrived in a system that now demands relentless credentialism. The book suggests that the modern scientific landscape may actively discourage the kind of iconoclastic genius that defined Crick’s career.
Crick: A Mind in Motion is a compelling and unflinching portrait of a brilliant mind operating outside the constraints of conventional wisdom. It reminds us that scientific progress often comes from those who dare to fail, to question, and to challenge the status quo. The modern system may not allow for another Crick, but his legacy serves as a powerful reminder of what can be achieved when curiosity trumps conformity
