James Watson, one of the science heroes of the 20th Century, talks tonight at Pacific Science Center.

Watson discovered DNA. But not the way Columbus discovered America (ummmm....the Native Americans sort of already knew about it, pal). Native Americans didn't know about DNA. It was all Watson (and Crick, of course).

Watson's written a self-help autobiography, a genre first pioneered by another science hero, Benjamin Franklin. Franklin's main dictum was to achieve moral perfection. Watson set his sights a smidge lower; his book is titled Avoid Boring People: Lessons from a Life in Science.

This should be an interesting evening, as Watson's prone to making bold statements. For example, here's something he said in 2000:

Witnesses were flabbergasted when the 72-year-old discoverer of the double helix suggested there was a biochemical link between exposure to sunlight and sexual urges. ``That's why you have Latin lovers,'' Watson said. ``You've never heard of an English lover. Just an English patient.''

7pm // Pacific Science Center // $5 (free for PSC members)