Double helix the DNA years. Pt.2.

In spite of the triumph of the discovery of the structure of DNA, the study of genetics was still discredited by the horrors of Nazi eugenics. In retreat from this, political and scientific opinion favoured environment over genes as the human formative influence, but it was impossible to suppress interest in this branch of science. The biologist Edward O. Wilson studied the results of the kibbutz movement in the newly declared state of Israel. Here, children were raised collectively rather than in families and Wilson, interested in gender roles, observed that only women abandoned their work to care for children and that no marriages occurred between children raised together on a kibbutz, even though they were in no way related. He suggested this was evidence of a genetic drive to avoid incest. His findings drew protest at a time when gender roles were being questioned and revived the issue of how far humans can choose to be what they are.