The Curious Incident of Crick in the Night-Time and Other Asilomar Enigmas.

Summary: In 1971, Paul Berg asked fellow scientist Francis Crick for his thoughts on a controversial new experiment involving recombinant DNA. Surprisingly, the usually outspoken Crick remained silent. This article investigates why Crick avoided the debate, citing personal psychological factors and a reluctance to engage in political issues. It also highlights the absence of other key figures, like immunologist Niels Jerne and bioweapons expert Matthew Meselson, from the historic Asilomar conference on genetic safety. Their absence suggests that the guidelines established at Asilomar might have looked very different—and perhaps more comprehensive regarding bioweapons—had these experts been in the room.