"If that holds up," Meselson says, "we will test the molecular hypotheses for why sex exists."

Outside of the biology laboratories of Sherman Fairchild, Meselson serves as the faculty chair of chemical and biological studies at the Kennedy School of Government's Center for Science and International Affairs. He is also on its Board of Directors.

In this position, Meselson studies the uses and effects of biological warfare.

Meselson says biotechnology is the next big form of technology that will be exploited.

Modern science enables people to manipulate all life processes, including thought and heredity, he says.

If biotechnology is exploited, Meselson says, "it might be quite different from other weapons."

For example, one lone virus particle can cause as much damage as large quantities of explosives, Meselson says.

Biological warfare thus poses an unstabilizing threat which can only be prevented if nations agree to make the development and stockpiling of biological weapons a universal crime, he says.

Today, treaties simply prohibit nations from using such warfare, Meselson says. But he advocates harsher measures so that nations may indict and try individuals responsible for biological warfare.

"I think the world should move towards holding individuals responsible," he says.

This is the goal of the Harvard Sussex Program on Chemical and Biological Warfare Armament and Arms Limitation-a joint venture between Harvard and the University of Sussex in Britain-of which Meselson is co-director.

The group has written a treaty which makes the development and stockpiling of biological weapons an "international crime [so that] no matter where a person flees he can be found responsible and imprisoned." Meselson says.

The group is preparing to have heads of state introduce the treaty at the United Nations.

Meselson says his interest in science began at an early age.

He received a Ph.D. in physical chemistry from the California Institute of Technology in 1957 and served as a research fellow, an assistant professor of chemistry and a senior research fellow in chemical biology there in successive years.