The experimental electron affinities of adenine, guanine, cytosine, thymine and uracil have been determined from reduction potentials and negative ion photoelectron spectra. Updated values for purine, pyrimidine and other nitrogen heterocyclics, which have not been measured in the gas phase, are presented. The electron affinity of Watson -Crick guanine -cytosine is estimated empirically. The experimental values are consistent with quantum mechanical semi-empirical multiconfiguration configuration interaction calculations. The bulk hydration energies of the nucleobase anions, 2.34 eV, determined from the experimental data and sequential anion hydration energy difference of about 0.20(5) eV suggest that 10 -15 water molecules complete the hydration shell. The electron affinities for the formation of doublet and quartet anions of the nucleobases, nucleosides, nucleotides and Watson -Crick base pairs are calculated. We postulate that low-lying quartet anion states and their spin distribution can and will participate in electron conduction, radiation damage, oxidation damage and repair, strand breakage and protein synthesis.