DNA is a double-stranded molecule that carries our genetic code. Everything in your body, from the color of your eyes to the rate of your metabolism, follows carefully written instructions within your DNA. Each person has their own unique DNA. Even identical twins,

though they share many similarities in their DNA, still have slight differences in the instructions that affect how their bodies look and function.

 

Since its discovery, the uniqueness of individual DNA has led to incredible advancements in fields such as forensic science, medicine, and more.

 

DNA is one of the most significant discoveries in understanding life on Earth. Not only do humans have DNA as their blueprint for life,

but so do animals, plants, and even bacteria—every living thing possesses DNA.

 

Interestingly, despite its importance, the full purpose and structure of DNA were not understood until the early 1950s. Though the DNA molecule was identified in the late 1920s, it wasn’t until Francis Crick and James Watson, working together at the University of Cambridge, discovered the double-helix structure that DNA's role in cells and how it functions became clear. Their groundbreaking work earned them the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1962.

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Watson and Crick are forever celebrated for their discovery of DNA, but should they be the only ones credited?

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Rosalind Elsie Franklin, born in 1920, was an English-Jewish scientist who specialized in crystallography—a field that examines the structure of atoms within molecules.

Franklin excelled in Physics, Math, and Chemistry from a young age. According to her mother, Franklin knew she wanted to pursue science by the time she was 16. Ambitious, focused, and highly intelligent, Franklin was accepted to the prestigious University of Cambridge at just 18. Between 1938 and 1945, she earned a bachelor’s degree in Physical Chemistry, followed by a doctorate in coal research. After completing her doctorate, Franklin moved to Paris to work in a lab specializing in coal research. It was there that she learned how to use X-rays to understand atomic structures—a technique that would later play a key role in her groundbreaking discoveries.

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Franklin loved her work and embraced the Bohemian, free-spirited Parisian lifestyle, which contrasted sharply with conservative England. She quickly learned French and made many friends. Known for her intelligence and pride, Franklin's strong character and brilliant mind were admired and celebrated by her friends and colleagues in France.

 

Despite loving Paris, Franklin wanted to be closer to her family, so in 1951, she applied for a position in England and was accepted at King’s College in London. Her role was to oversee the crystallography section in the lab. However, 1950s England was a highly chauvinistic environment, and Franklin wasn’t treated with the respect she deserved, particularly by crystallographer Maurice Wilkins, who also worked in the lab. Though Wilkins didn’t hold a higher title or have more qualifications, he expected Franklin to work under him and follow his research agenda rather than pursue her own.

 

Accustomed to the respect she received in Paris, Franklin felt lost and even humiliated in London. She considered quitting many times, but her fascination with photographing and studying the structure of proteins and nucleic acids kept her going. Franklin was also deeply interested in DNA, a topic that few people at the time understood or appreciated. In her research, she made groundbreaking discoveries about DNA’s structure, which she shared during a lecture in November 1951. Watson attended this lecture and took note of Franklin’s insights, though he did not immediately credit her findings. It wasn’t until early 1953, when Watson obtained a photograph Franklin had taken in May 1952, that he made his major breakthrough in uncovering the structure of DNA.

 

That photograph, known as "Photo 51," was secretly given to Watson by Wilkins without Franklin’s knowledge. "Photo 51" played a crucial role in Watson and Crick’s discovery of DNA's structure, which later won them the Nobel Prize. Franklin passed away from cancer in 1958, never knowing that her work had been the foundation of Watson and Crick’s research. She did not receive any recognition or a Nobel Prize (which can only be awarded to living individuals). It is only in recent years that Franklin's contributions have been acknowledged, and she is now mentioned alongside Watson and Crick—although still not as well-known or celebrated as they are.