Rosalind Franklin knew DNA was a helix before Watson and Crick, new study finds

Rosalind Franklin figured out DNA's helical structure before Watson and Crick

A fresh look at Rosalind Franklin's archived photos and lab notes suggests she recognized DNA's helical structure ahead of Watson and Crick. Her famous Photograph 51, long framed as an incidental image she dismissed, was actually a deliberate re-exposure taken the same day she developed Photograph 49, made specifically to capture a refined view for publication. The findings challenge the familiar story of a scientist who missed the significance of her own data.