By the time James Watson and Francis Crick made history with the discovery of DNA’s structure, a crucial breakthrough had already been made by Rosalind Franklin—a scientist whose contributions went largely unrecognized in her lifetime.
Born, July 25, 1920
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Franklin was a gifted chemist whose early research on coal during World War II improved gas mask technology. At King's College London, she advanced X-ray crystallography techniques and captured the famous “Photo 51,” an image that clearly revealed DNA’s double-helix structure. This image was shared with Watson and Crick without her knowledge and became central to their Nobel Prize–winning model in 1962—an honor Franklin did not receive. She later continued pioneering work at Birkbeck College, where she made major contributions to the study of viruses, including the structure of the tobacco mosaic virus.
Died, Apr 16, 1958
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Franklin died of ovarian cancer at just 37, likely linked to prolonged radiation exposure. Today, she is recognized not only for her scientific achievements but also as a symbol of overlooked brilliance, raising enduring questions about ethics, recognition, and gender equity in science.
