Despite what Watson said, Rosalind Franklin understood structure of DNA first
Rosalind Franklin’s X‑ray diffraction work revealed the double‑helix structure of DNA before James Watson and Francis Crick published their model. Despite Watson’s later claims of priority, Franklin’s data—especially Photo 51—provided the critical evidence that led to the correct structure. Her findings were largely unacknowledged during her lifetime, but recent analyses confirm her central role. Her contributions are now recognized as foundational to molecular biology.