A recent article in Nature discusses the popular narrative surrounding the discovery of the double helix structure of DNA and the role of scientist Rosalind Franklin. According to the lore, James Watson had a breakthrough after viewing an X-ray image of DNA, known as Photograph 51, taken by Franklin without her permission or knowledge. Franklin, who passed away at a young age, is portrayed as a brilliant scientist who failed to recognize the significance of her own data, while Watson quickly understood it.

This version of events has become widely known, permeating popular culture. It inspired a play called “Photograph 51” starring Nicole Kidman in 2015, and even appeared on a British 50 pence coin commemorating Franklin’s birth centenary in 2020. The story has also been the subject of jokes on Twitter and a rap battle performed by seventh-grade students in Oakland, California.1

Read the full article here.

References

  1. Cobb, M., & Comfort, N. (2023). What Rosalind Franklin truly contributed to the discovery of DNA’s structure. Nature, 616(7958), 657–660. https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-023-01313-5

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