James Watson dies, aged 97

James Dewey Watson, who alongside Francis Crick uncovered the structure of DNA in 1953, has died aged 97. Varsity was the first newspaper to report the discovery made at Cambridge’s Cavendish Laboratory. A plaque commemorating the achievement adorns the wall of The Eagle, where the pair spent much of their free time. The Chicago-born scientist died on 6th November after a brief illness. He will be remembered for his major contribution to biology, recipient of a Nobel prize for his discovery in 1962, but also several controversies in his later life. These include telling The Times in 2007 that he was “inherently gloomy about the prospect of Africa” based on views about genetic differences in intelligence between races, and dismissing the vital role Rosalind Franklin played in his and Crick’s discovery.

Tim Davie resigns as BBC Director General

Selwyn alum Tim Davie resigned as Director General of the BBC on Sunday (08/11). Deborah Turness also stepped down from her role as Head of News. Their resignations followed the leaking of an internal BBC memo by The Telegraph. This document revealed that BBC Panorama edited together sections of Trump’s speech on 6th January 2021, and claimed the edits made it appear that the US President had explicitly incited the Capitol riots that afternoon. Davie, who studied English at Cambridge, said of his decision: “Overall the BBC is delivering well, but there have been some mistakes made and as director general I have to take ultimate responsibility.”

Cambridge dominates book award

Cambridge alumni are responsible for four of the 15 titles shortlisted for the 2025 Waterstones Book of the Year. These include Natasha Brown’s satirical novel Universality; R.F. Kuang’s Katabasis, a fantasy about the hellishness of academia; Craftland by James Fox, which explores Britain’s vanishing traditional skills; and David Attenborough’s latest book Ocean, with Colin Butfield. Bea Carvalho, Head of Books at Waterstones, said: “There is something for every reading need: from motivational nourishment to pure escapism, via fantastical quests and jump-scares.” The titles were recommended by Waterstones booksellers across the country, and the winner will be announced on 27th November.

Rare orchid rescued from extinction

The Cambridge University Botanic Gardens have rescued a rare orchid from the brink of extinction. Since 2008, they have been working with Plantlife and Kew Gardens to reintroduce Fen Orchids (Liparis loeselii) across the UK. In 2010, the species was only found in three sites in East Anglia and one in Wales. The main reason for its decline was habitat loss resulting from the drainage or abandonment of fens. 15 years later, Fen Orchards have been recorded at seven sites in England and three across Wales. This marks the first time the species has successfully been cultivated in Great Britain.