Rosalind Franklin

DNA · science · women in STEM · X-rays

Expert at X-rays. Rosalind Franklin was a chemist who used special X-ray machines to take pictures of tiny molecules that nobody else could see. Her pictures were so clear they helped scientists understand how DNA is shaped like a twisted ladder.

Photo 51. Her most famous image, called Photo 51, showed the pattern of a DNA molecule in incredible detail. This single photograph gave scientists huge clues about how DNA twists and holds life's instructions.

DNA's hidden structure. Franklin's work proved that DNA has a double helix shape, like two spiral staircases wrapped around each other. Without her discoveries, scientists might have taken years longer to understand how life copies itself.

Credit came late. When other scientists won the Nobel Prize for discovering DNA's structure, Franklin wasn't recognized for her enormous contributions because she had already passed away. Many people now call her one of history's greatest scientists who deserved much more recognition.

More than just DNA. She also studied viruses, coal, and graphite, making discoveries in each field. Scientists appreciated her work on these topics during her lifetime, but her DNA work was her most groundbreaking achievement.