1. “The woman behind the double helix”
Rosalind Franklin
“The woman behind the double helix”

2. Who is Rosalind Franklin?
Born on July 25, 1920
She was from a prominent Anglo-Jewish family.
She always liked facts, and was very logical and precise.
She decided to become a scientist when she was 15.
Her family was very active in charities and community services.

3. Her education
In 1938, she passed the admissions exam to Cambridge University.
She attended Cambridge with the help of her aunt.
She graduated with a Ph. D. in 1945.
In 1951, she went on to work as a research associate for John Randall at King’s College in London, where her most important discovery was made.

4. Famous Discovery Discovered that DNA has an A and B form.
Discovered the structure of DNA. (Photo 51)
Use the technique of x-ray crystallography to break down the A and B form of DNA.
Learned where the sugar-phosphate backbone was located.

5. What exactly is DNA?
According to dictionary.com, DNA, or “Deoxyribonucleic acid, is a self-replicating material present in nearly all living organisms as the main constituent of chromosomes. It is the carrier of genetic information.”

6. Science was a man’s world
Although she discovered the DNA structure, she was not given credit for it until after her death.
Watson, Crick, and Wilkins received credit and the Nobel Prize for determining the structure of DNA and the bases pairing within the helix.
After her death, Watson and Crick admitted that they could not have done it without her.
James Watson, Francis Crick, Maurice Wilkins, and Rosalind Franklin

7. Remembering Rosalind Franklin 1920-1958
She died of ovarian cancer at age 37, before she could even realize the magnitude of her work.

8. Impact on the Nature of Science
Because of her discovery, the human genome project was made possible.
The age-old question about heredity was solved.
Advances for women were made. Most women of her day were not scientists.
Today 40% of science majors are women, but few continue their education.
Women are accepted in the science field, more so than Rosalind Franklin.

9. References
1952., DNA, m. w., & as, i. i. (n.d.). Rosalind Franklin ( ). Access the National Health Museum. Retrieved September 11, 2011, from
A science odyssey: People and discoveries: Rosalind Franklin . (n.d.). PBS: Public Broadcasting Service. Retrieved September 11, 2011, from
Kelley, S. O. (n.d.). A milestone for science, and for women . Boston College. Retrieved September 11, 2011, from
The importance of DNA. (n.d.).Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science. Retrieved September 11, 2011, from
Wilkins. (n.d.). The Rosalind Franklin papers: Biographical information. Profiles in Science. Retrieved September 11, 2011, from