What Is Life? can be viewed as a well-reasoned theoretical prediction of what biologists should have been looking for during their search for genetic material. Both James D. Watson, and Francis Crick, who jointly proposed the double helix structure of DNA based on X-ray diffraction experiments by Rosalind Franklin, credited Schrödinger's book with presenting an early theoretical description of how the storage of genetic information would work, and each independently acknowledged the book as a source of inspiration for their initial researches. The book is based on lectures delivered under the auspices of the Institute at Trinity College, Dublin, in February 1943 and
DNA Tower The glass is held in place by a steel armature that is painted blue. The base support of the sculpture is surrounded and protected by a 5' tall circular cherry wood base that is 5'5" in diameter. "DNA Tower" was commissioned to commemorate both the 100th anniversary of the IU School of Medicine (founded 1903) and the 50th anniversary of the discovery of the structure of the DNA molecule (discovered 1953) by 1950 IU alumnus James D. Watson and his colleague Francis Crick. The glass pieces and painted steel armature were fabricated in Chihuly's Seattle studios. On September 23, 2003,