James Watson

About James Watson

James Watson, who passed away in 2025, is chiefly recognized as the co-discoverer of the double helix structure of DNA, a foundational breakthrough in modern biology and genetics that earned him the Nobel Prize. This monumental contribution places him at HPI Rank #669 among history's most influential figures, cementing his importance across scientific history.

Despite this historical standing, Watson’s 2025 annualized Wikipedia traffic was 873K views. This level of attention results in a significant +3x overattention score relative to his HPI rank, suggesting a modern digital fascination with his legacy. To put this in context, Watson garners significantly less attention than modern figures like Jackie Chan (#926 importance) who drew 3.9M views, though his own interest is surging, as evidenced by a remarkable +137.2% year-over-year change in views.

While his Q1 to Q3 momentum dipped by -3%, the substantial year-over-year growth in 2025 suggests that recent events or discussions surrounding his recent passing likely kept his scientific achievements in the public eye throughout the year.